Retail advisory business is launched

Entrepreneur and former co-founder of digital marketing agency Epiphany Shane Quigley has launched retail advisory firm SHIFT Marketplace alongside ex-Epiphany commercial director Tom Bagnall and online marketplace expert Steven Berke.

Their new business is based in the Old School Board building in Calverley Street, Leeds.

Quigley founded Epiphany in 2005 with a focus on being a search specialist, later selling to Jaywing plc for £18m in 2014.

He said he had established SHIFT Marketplace with a similar vision of being the leading specialist in the Marketplace space.

And he noted that marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Tmall and Rakuten now account for over half of global online retail, with £1.66 trillion sold by the top 100 global marketplaces last year.

Berke brings with him ten years experience of marketplace trading having served over two million unique customers exclusively via marketplaces.

Since exiting Epiphany, Quigley’s main focus has been strengthening his direct retail experience and rejuvenating the performance of multi-channel players such as Matalan.

Having sat on the non-agency side of the fence for a considerable time, he explained: “It occurred to me how agencies miss huge chunks of the retail equation when determining growth strategies.

“It’s this need that SHIFT aims to serve, offering an unrivalled quality and depth of service to retailers in this most challenging of times.”

Bagnall said: “It was a difficult decision to leave Epiphany after ten great years, but the retail focus and genuine commercial experience our team possess make this a logical next step in my career.”

Berke added: “Retail is changing at a tremendous pace, with marketplaces driving this disruption. We are excited to launch SHIFT Marketplace in order to support retailers and brands with the growth plans in this space.”