Global Retail Marketplace, which bought GrabOne in 2021, went into liquidation last October. Photo: Screenshot
Wellington business Paradigm Group has bought the GrabOne brand and assets.
It relaunches on Tuesday, offering vouchers for discounts at local businesses.
Global Retail Marketplace, which bought GrabOne in 2021, went into liquidation last October. At the time, liquidators said it was due to funding constraints.
Many consumers were left with vouchers they were not able to use, although some businesses said they would still honour them.
Paradigm said it already had 30 businesses on board for the relaunch.
Jonty Hodge, chief executive of Paradigm Group, said GrabOne going into liquidation was not just a platform shutting down.
"Real merchants lost a channel that was genuinely working for them, and over 350,000 Kiwis lost a way to discover what's on their doorstep. For some of these businesses, GrabOne was generating millions in revenue. That matters. We couldn't just watch that disappear.
"We understand it was a really difficult time for a lot of merchants and customers as well. We went and talked to a bunch of them, we talked to a lot of businesses and we understood there was something worth saving ... there was a community of customers and businesses worth saving and that's something that we're looking into the future, how we can stand up the platform again and make it a discovery marketplace where businesses can acquire and find new customers. Customers can discover new places to eat, experience and do activities."
He said the new business would not be able to honour any of the vouchers or deals offered by the previous owners.
If customers came to the new GrabOne business with questions, it would address that, he said.
"A lot of them would have done charge backs and stuff like that so they've still got avenues to go in that direction. For us, GrabOne felt like an iconic brand and that's something we thought we can save and see if we can take it back to its roots ... we're focusing on escapes, experiences and activities. We're putting a pause on the product side of things. We'll re-look at that down the track but it will definitely have a really local lens when it comes to promoting products."
Paul Raeburn is head of the new GrabOne and said it was good to return, having been involved almost 15 years ago.
"We were at the forefront of connecting people with local businesses, motivating Kiwis to explore more of the country. Last year's liquidation marked the end of one chapter, but we always knew the platform still had so much to offer Aotearoa. This isn't just a relaunch for nostalgia's sake, but a reset focused on quality and long-term value."
He said merchants had made it clear there were aspects of the previous iteration that were not working.
Dockside Restaurant and Bar general manger Conrad Banks said it had made more than $6 million in sales from GrabOne over time so the loss of the platform was a blow.
"We're looking forward to having GrabOne back with a fresh start, backed by a Kiwi team that really gets how to help us grow, reaching new customers and turning first-time visitors into regulars."
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