Home Articles This Melbourne tech start-up is changing how we shop by monetising word-of-mouth

This Melbourne tech start-up is changing how we shop by monetising word-of-mouth

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Referboard is Australia’s first local player in the arena of affiliate referral platforms.

Melbourne-based entrepreneur Aaron Woolf, took his idea of rewarding the everyday consumer who loves online shopping and talking about their favourite brands, by creating a platform that monetises word-of-mouth referrals.

Referboard’s patented technology was built from scratch with simplicity and easy-to-use functionality top of mind, allowing users to create their own online shop.

Referrers can add their favourite products to their Referboard page directly from retailer websites such as ASOS or Nike with a couple of clicks on their computer or smart phone.

What exactly does Referboard do?

The technology behind Referboard makes it easy for anyone to recommend any product directly from an online retailer’s website, meaning if they find something they love they can use the app or browser extension to refer it to their entire social network, across multiple platforms.

Users can send a uniquely generated tracking link to their friends and/or followers; promote it throughout the Referboard community; and (if they have one) automatically add it to their blog through the Referboard Shop Widget. This means that not only do the referrers not need to buy the product to recommend it, but they don’t have to try and find that product again through other similar platforms or apps, in a fairly manual way.

Aaron has a vision to change the way we shop and as the calibre of brands signing up continues to diversify Referboard will also evolve, eventually becoming a digital mall but with storeowners like you and me reaping the benefits. Currently, fashion, home and interiors brands make up the brand portfolio, but anything from furniture, beauty products, hotels and restaurants can (and will) be referred.

What is the story behind Referboard?

Aaron is a successful digital advertising business manager with over 15 years experience in the digital advertising space across the UK and Australia/New Zealand. An entrepreneur in the digital marketing and tech space, in 2011 Aaron spotted a gap in the digital lead generation market and moved quickly to set up his first ad-tech venture called Opentop.

Aaron Woolf
Aaron Woolf

“I saw a recommendation online from a friend who had bought an item of clothing. The comments she had on her page asking where she got it from were astounding. I often shop online these days, as many people do, and I realised there is a way to help small and large retailers as well as consumers easily find products of interest,” he told Anthill about what inspired him to start Referboard

“When I created Referboard, first and foremost I wanted to hero the opinions of my friends, family and colleagues who I trust and who have encouraged me to make a purchase. This is why I built the platform so that everyday people (not just bloggers and influencers) can curate their favourite items and make money from referring the things they love.”

Aaron bootstrapped the entire business using his own money, utilising staff from his other company to work on Referboard part-time and get the platform to what it is now – 400 Australian and international retailers available and more than 4,000 products already being referred.