BuyWhere
← Back to documentation

platform-partnership-pipeline

BuyWhere Platform Partnership Pipeline

Internal working tracker for Finn.
As of 2026-04-15.

Goal And Dates

  • first platform partner meeting booked in Week 1
  • LOI path identified by 2026-04-27
  • one platform data deal signed by 2026-05-22

Prioritization

Priority Order

  1. Carousell
  2. Lazada
  3. Shopee

Why

  • Carousell is the fastest wedge because a category-limited data pilot is easier to frame around discovery and secondhand inventory.
  • Lazada has very large catalog value and explicit partner-facing surfaces, but procurement may be slower.
  • Shopee is strategically important, but likely the hardest top-down partnership route without a warm intro.

Platform Tracker

PlatformPriorityEstimated catalog upsideCurrent wedgeOfficial contextBest entry pathStatusNext action by Finn
Carousell1100K-500K+ listings in SG categoriescategory-limited pilot for recommerce search visibilityCarousell Press lists regional media and commercial activity; Carousell Media Group public contact existsfounder/commercial intro, media group contact, corp dev introNot startedsend tailored note, ask for 20-minute pilot call, propose electronics + home pilot
Lazada2300K-1M+ SG-addressable SKUsstructured feed/API pilot for AI discovery layerLazada About page states 300M+ SKUs regionally and 400,000 sellers; partner-facing pages existpartnerships, marketplace strategy, Lazada Singapore leadership introNot startedsend pilot memo framed around AI commerce distribution and data controls
Shopee3300K-1M+ SG-addressable SKUslimited-scope pilot tied to catalog normalization and attributionSea's official Shopee page confirms Singapore HQ at 1 Fusionopolis Placewarm intro through Sea/Shopee operator, corp dev, ecosystem partnershipsNot startedmap 2-3 intro paths before cold outreach; avoid generic support channels

Platform-Specific Positioning

Carousell

Lead with:

  • Singapore-first pilot
  • secondhand and unique inventory discoverability
  • controlled data usage
  • optional category limit for trust building

Avoid leading with:

  • full-platform extraction language
  • revenue-share complexity in the first email

Lazada

Lead with:

  • BuyWhere as distribution infrastructure for agent commerce
  • structured ingestion and normalization layer
  • category pilot with measurable reporting

Avoid leading with:

  • bespoke enterprise asks before a meeting

Shopee

Lead with:

  • strategic future distribution channel for agent-led shopping
  • narrow pilot and clear data handling

Avoid leading with:

  • support inboxes
  • broad ask without an internal champion

LOI Requirements

An LOI is good enough to count as the Day 25 milestone if it includes:

  • named counterpart and entity
  • pilot scope
  • allowed data use rights
  • expected delivery format or API path
  • timeline to definitive agreement
  • commercial model to be finalized after pilot or explicitly stated

Internal Dependencies

Kai

Kai needs, before the first serious partner meeting:

  • minimum required fields list
  • supported import methods
  • preferred refresh cadence options
  • ingestion constraints that BD should not promise around

Vera

Vera should review before external paper goes out if the partner requests:

  • exclusivity
  • liability carve-outs
  • audit rights
  • restrictions on derived data

Weekly Operating Cadence

Week Of 2026-04-15

  • finalize platform-specific outreach
  • identify intro paths
  • book first meeting

Week Of 2026-04-22

  • run first platform calls
  • circulate pilot memo and draft LOI terms

Week Of 2026-04-29

  • convert one platform to legal/commercial review

Source Notes

Official references used for prioritization:

Catalog upside numbers above are internal working estimates, not official disclosed Singapore listing counts.