Poizon

About Poizon

Poizon operates as a curated online marketplace and community platform, specializing in the resale of authenticated, trend-driven goods for a global, primarily Gen Z, clientele. Founded in Shanghai in 2015 by Yang Bing, the company, initially known as 'Du,' emerged from the Hupu.com sports portal to address the proliferation of counterfeits in the burgeoning sneaker resale market. Bing's entrepreneurial background includes co-founding Hupu.com, which became China's largest sports news portal.

The company's business model is described as Consumer-to-Business-to-Consumer (C2B2C), where it acts as a trusted intermediary. When a transaction occurs, sellers ship their items not to the buyer, but to one of Poizon's operational centers. Here, the product undergoes a rigorous, multi-step authentication process conducted by human experts and supported by proprietary AI technology. Once verified, the item is packaged in Poizon's branded materials, complete with an authenticity certificate, and then shipped to the buyer. This "authenticate first, then ship" model, introduced in 2017, is a cornerstone of the company's value proposition, building significant user trust. Revenue is primarily generated through transaction fees, typically a percentage of the sale price, and the company also offers storage services for sellers.

Originally focused on limited-edition sneakers, Poizon has strategically expanded its catalogue. In 2018, it broadened its offerings to include apparel, bags, watches, and electronics. A significant push into the beauty market followed in 2024. The platform serves as a social hub, integrating e-commerce with community features that allow users to share content, reviews, and style inspiration, fostering high user engagement. Technologically, Poizon has invested heavily in its platform, establishing an AI-driven authentication system in 2020 and developing the world's largest AR shoe model library, which allows for virtual try-ons. The company's growth trajectory includes reaching a unicorn valuation of over $1 billion by April 2019, backed by investors such as DST Global, Sequoia, and Gaorong Capital. By early 2024, the platform had amassed over 170 million monthly active users globally and had authenticated over 590 million items.