Thrilling

About Thrilling

Thrilling operates as an online marketplace focused on the vintage and secondhand apparel and home goods sector. The company was established in 2018 by co-founders Shilla Kim-Parker, who serves as CEO, and Brad Mallow, the CTO. Kim-Parker's background includes a Harvard MBA and roles at JPMorgan, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and as Chief of Staff for Disney's Television Group. Her motivation for Thrilling stemmed from a lifelong passion for thrift shopping, a desire to support small businesses like the one her grandparents owned, and growing concerns about the environmental impact of the fashion industry. The idea crystallized after meeting Mallow, an e-commerce engineer who shared her vision.

The firm's primary clients are independent, brick-and-mortar vintage and secondhand stores across the United States. Thrilling provides these small businesses, many of which lack an online presence, with the technology and logistics to digitize and sell their inventory to a global audience. As of early 2022, the platform hosted over 900 stores from approximately 200 cities. A significant portion of these partner stores, around 95%, are reported to be owned by women and/or people of color. The business model is structured around a commission fee, taking 10% from each transaction processed through the site. In return, Thrilling manages the online listing, payment processing, shipping, and returns. To further support its partners, especially in New York City and Los Angeles, the company offers a "Vintage Assistant" service to photograph and list inventory for a per-item fee.

Thrilling has secured total funding of $10.9 million over three rounds. This includes an $8.47 million Series A round in 2021, led by Prelude Ventures with participation from investors like Closed Loop Partners and Congruent Ventures. These funds are earmarked for enhancing the platform's technology, including developing store analytics and improving customer personalization features. The company has also expanded its offerings by launching a home goods section in May 2022. Notable partnerships include collaborations with Banana Republic to source and resell vintage items, and with Academy Award-nominated costume designer Ruth E. Carter for a "Vintage Studio Services" program that supplies authentic period clothing to film and television productions.