Fluid, a provider of We-Commerce platforms for direct sales companies, has raised $15M in funding led by Vess Pearson. The unified platform enables the full customer journey from awareness to advocacy, featuring drag-and-drop page builders, content libraries, FairShare™ attribution, global payments, messaging, and apps across mobile and desktop. It integrates seamlessly with commission engines like Exigo, ByDesign, and Pillars. The capital will expand AI capabilities and the overall We-Commerce platform.
AI Trends Reshape Direct Selling
The funding arrives as AI integration emerges as a top trend in direct selling, enhancing seller performance and personalization [per Epixel]. Fluid positions its platform to augment reps with AI tools amid this shift. Meanwhile, the MLM software market stands at $1.82B in 2024 [per OpenPR].
Cart Abandonment Plagues E-Commerce
Traditional e-commerce suffers from high friction, with 70% of online carts abandoned, 85% of consumers conducting deep research, and 93% relying on reviews [from Fluid posts]. Direct sales companies face added challenges in empowering distributors for social selling and content sharing. Current solutions often require developers or leave gaps in rep tools.
We-Commerce Unifies Rep Tools
Fluid's We-Commerce shifts from transactional to relational selling, providing reps with visual builders, content hubs, and real-time media sync via Media DAM. FairShare™ ensures fair attribution across shares, while Fluid Messaging centralizes communications with AI. This contrasts backend-focused competitors like ByDesign Technologies and Epixel MLM Software, which emphasize compensation over frontend customer journeys.
Frontend Focus Beats Backend Rivals
Flight Commerce offers quick-deployment multichannel tools, but lacks Fluid's emphasis on content libraries and mobile advocacy apps. Cloud MLM Software handles replication sites yet misses guided selling features. Fluid powers distributor microsites for brands like Thermomix, ASEA, and ColorStreet, with its app rated 4.9/5 [App Store].
Insiders Validate Human-AI Synergy
Vess Pearson, CEO of Aptive Environmental, leads the round and joins the board, alongside Alex Bean, Divvy co-founder. This non-institutional backing from direct sales veterans signals conviction in Fluid's model. Previously, Fluid hit $3M ARR in six months and made We-Commerce free after rapid growth.
MLM Market Eyes $4.37B Growth
The MLM software sector projects growth from $1.82B in 2024 to $4.37B by 2033 at 10.2% CAGR [per OpenPR]. Broader AI direct selling could explode from $14.5B to $625.1B by 2034 [per Vocal Media]. Fluid taps digital transformation, including mobile-first tools post its NOW Tech acquisition.
AI Direct Selling Set to Surge
Direct selling spans $167-237B globally, driven by automation needs and e-commerce shifts [per market research]. Competitors like Infinite MLM Software rank for startups, but Fluid leads in rep empowerment. Recent Thermomix deployments yielded record U.S. enrollments.
Serial Founders Scale SaaS
CEO Mike Tingey brings serial entrepreneurship, with prior SaaS like Olumo. CPO Felipe M. Lee scaled Dental Intelligence to $35M ARR [per Latka]. Vess Pearson's board role adds direct sales expertise.
As Mike Tingey and team noted:
"In a world of increasing AI, personal relationships in commerce become more important, not less."
Fluid plans AI enhancements for reps, building on Thermomix success and NOW Tech integration [per Direct Selling News].