Interview: Why ManoMano boss Christian Raisson has the right tools to dominate Europe

ManoMano was launched eight years ago in France by Raisson and his friend and co-chief executive Philippe de Chanville – both of whom have spent time in London, which Raisson says gives the business a more international mindset.

The ecommerce retailer, which acts as a marketplace for home and DIY sellers, operates in six countries – France, Italy, the UK, Spain, Germany and Belgium – but Raisson has set his sights on the UK as a major growth market.

ManoMano recorded 240% sales growth in the UK during the pandemic, compared with 100% growth across the whole business.

“The UK is the fastest-growing country for ManoMano, it is one of the biggest markets at €50bn (£43bn) – bigger than France, Italy and Spain,” he says. “The UK is also the most digital country in Europe, which could be one explanation for why we’re so fast-growing in this country.”

Raisson believes ecommerce is more advanced in the UK across all sectors such as fashion and grocery, but the home and DIY boom has been more recent.

Building on the DIY boom

Raisson is aiming to take advantage of DIY ecommerce growth by building up ManoMano as a specialist marketplace through long-term relationships with trusted sellers.

“We have a special policy and treatment to choose our partners. We are a selective, managed marketplace. We have only 3,000 sellers, compared with the big competitors who have millions,” he explains.

“The reason is that we want to build long-term relationships with our sellers – we want to be dedicated, we want to be the perfect place for them. We want to specialise in our market – we’re not a generalist, and this makes a difference when talking to our sellers, and most importantly when talking to manufacturers.”

While it may only have a few thousand sellers, ManoMano builds partnerships with the most well-known brands as well as a number of local sellers specific to each geography in order to ensure the best choice.

“We have 10 million products, and if you compare that to big box shops like Homebase, where you can find only a few thousand products – it makes a huge difference,” Raisson adds. 

The home and DIY boom has been seen across the world as consumers spend more time at home, adjusting their lifestyles to incorporate education, work, fitness and leisure in one space – but Raisson says one key difference between the UK and the rest of Europe is British customers’ love of gardening.

“We have 10 million products, and if you compare that to big box shops like Homebase, where you can find only a few thousand products – it makes a huge difference”

Christian Raisson, ManoMano

“The UK is always different from the rest of Europe – you’re an island with different habits, but we love that,” he says. “In the UK, gardening is one of the most important differences compared to other countries, because it’s a popular hobby here. 

“We’re also talking about big stuff – a wooden shed, furniture for the garden – and you can only find a good choice of this online.”

On the UK website local gardening sellers hold pride of place alongside the core range, whereas other countries’ websites will feature those sellers specific to their top trends and hobbies. 

Fresh funding

ManoMano has raised $355m (£260m) in a recent fundraising round in July – with backing from new investor Dragoneer, which has plugged funds into the likes of Spotify, Uber and Airbnb. Raisson says the money will help the business achieve similar levels of international success.

The new funds will be used to bring on 1,000 more employees. Raisson says half of the new staff will be employed in technology roles such as data scientists, web developers and programmers to boost its ecommerce offer. The other half will work for ManoMano’s newly launched B2B business, logistics and its advisory service.

While its B2B business is strong in France and Spain, ManoMano is focusing on building up the advisory and logistics network in the UK and Germany.

ManoMano is also seeking to increase its marketing capabilities, particularly in the UK, to attract a new type of customer.

When the business launched eight years ago, its customer base was largely male dominated. Raisson says that figure now sits at 50/50 male-female split due to the work ManoMano has done on its light DIY, homewares products and inspiration to bring more customers to the site.

ManoMano aims to utilise social media channels more going forward, as well as television and radio advertising, which have been successful in the past. 

While Raisson will not be drawn on whether ManoMano will break ground in new markets, he does say that the UK is his focus for the time being in his quest for European domination.

“We are a leader in France and our vision is to be the leader in Europe,” he asserts. “We know that if we want to do that, we need to be leaders in the UK, which is why it’s our priority, and where we will be putting money and hiring the best people. First we want to be number one online and then who knows after that?”

With its specialist relationships and fresh funding, as well as the switch to online seen across the home and DIY sector, ManoMano’s goals may just be within reach.