UPPFIRST

I Built a $10K/month E-Commerce Platform

February 16th, 2025

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About
Business

Arnaud Touret

Founder, UPPFIRST

$10K

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

UPPFIRST

uppfirst.com

from Singapore

started July 2022

$10,000

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

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Who are you and what business did you start?

I’m Arnaud Touret, the founder of UPPFIRST, a commerce platform that makes selling online easier and more effective. We help brands, creators, and businesses sell in-stock, made-to-order, and pre-sell products with a powerful, intuitive setup—no coding, no unnecessary plugins, just a smarter way to sell. What sets UPPFIRST apart is our one-step checkout, designed to remove friction and boost conversions. Nicki Minaj used UPPFIRST to launch her sneaker collection, achieving a record sales conversion rate of 8.7%—proving the impact of our model. In just six months, sellers on UPPFIRST have already done over $1 million in sales.

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How do you come up with the idea for UPPFIRST?

The idea for UPPFIRST came from firsthand experience with the challenges of selling online—especially for emerging brands. The industry relies on upfront inventory investment, outdated wholesale models, and high-risk production cycles, making it difficult for brands to sell efficiently and maintain cash flow.

With a background in software development, I had always seen tech as the backbone of any business I was involved in. My co-founders brought direct experience in fashion, which was our first target industry. Together, we saw an opportunity to build a more adaptable, intuitive commerce platform.

We validated UPPFIRST through user testing and iteration. It started as a pre-order-only platform, helping fashion brands monetize runway shows through immediate pre-orders with a two-part payment system. This approach improved cash flow and provided forward-looking consumer data without requiring upfront inventory. Continuous feedback drove our expansion.

Brands loved UPPFIRST’s ease of use, intuitive design, and powerful functionality, leading us to introduce in-stock support, wholesale capabilities, and comprehensive site-building tools. Today, UPPFIRST is a full-service e-commerce solution, giving brands at all levels the ability to sell smarter and grow efficiently.

How did you build the initial version of UPPFIRST?

Step-by-Step Process of Building UPPFIRST

Discovery & Planning (100 Hours Deep Dive) We started with a 100-hour discovery phase, going deep into market research, mapping out the platform, and challenging every assumption we had. We didn’t just want to build another e-commerce tool—we wanted to create something that actually solved real problems for sellers.
Building the MVP (Outsourced Development) With a solid concept in place, we partnered with an outsourced development team to build the first version of UPPFIRST. This allowed us to move quickly while keeping costs manageable. The first iteration was pre-order focused, giving brands a two-part payment system to improve cash flow and capture demand early.
Early Launch & User Testing Once we had a working MVP, we brought in launch partners and early users to test it. Their feedback shaped everything—we iterated, refined, and adapted based on real-world seller needs. Seeing brands engage and convert on UPPFIRST confirmed that we were onto something scalable.
Raising a Pre-Seed Round & Bringing Tech In-House With strong early traction, we raised a pre-seed round and used that funding to bring tech in-house. This was a pivotal moment—hiring our own product team gave us more control, more speed, and the ability to scale UPPFIRST the right way.
Evolving the Business Model At first, we only charged a transaction fee on successful sales to make it as easy as possible for sellers to try the platform. But after a year of testing, we introduced an affordable $9.99/month subscription model—low enough to remain accessible but sustainable for long-term growth.
Expanding Beyond Pre-Orders UPPFIRST started as a pre-order-only platform, but seller demand pushed us to expand fast. We introduced in-stock selling, made-to-order, wholesale capabilities, and full storefront tools, transforming UPPFIRST into a complete e-commerce solution.

What It Was Like to Build the First Version Building the first version wasn’t easy. There were countless iterations, unexpected challenges, and tough decisions. But outsourcing the MVP gave us room to make early mistakes without long-term technical debt. Once we nailed our ideal customer profile (ICP) and product-market fit, bringing everything in-house made us faster, sharper, and more effective.

We self-funded up until our pre-seed round, covering development and operations through personal savings. It was a challenging but essential process—one that shaped how we build today. UPPFIRST is now built for scale, and every iteration has brought us closer to delivering the best possible experience for our sellers.

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How did you launch UPPFIRST and get initial traction?

Our first launch partner was HEAT.io, who used UPPFIRST to pre-sell their luxury mystery boxes, for a special drop featuring pieces from the Vetements archive. To maximize impact, we paired the launch with an event, generating press and media attention that helped drive engagement.

The response was immediate—the entire drop sold out within the first hour. That first sale happened right there at launch, proving that UPPFIRST could handle high-traffic, high-demand releases.

From there, we built on the momentum—leveraging the credibility of our first launch to onboard more brands and continue refining the platform. The biggest lesson? You just have to start. The product will never be perfect at launch, but the sooner you put it into the world, the faster you learn and improve.

Looking back, we wouldn’t change that approach. The launch gave us early authority and recognition, and when challenges came up, we learned that we could pull out all the stops to deliver—a mindset that still drives UPPFIRST today.

What was the growth strategy for UPPFIRST and how did you scale?

A key growth strategy has been aligning with fashion brands that already have engaged audiences, particularly those launching collections during high-visibility moments like fashion weeks. Partnering with brands like Chet Lo , LGN, Ahluwalia, Roksanda, Paolina Russo, Zomer and Heliot Emil helped introduce UPPFIRST to their communities when interest and content output were at their peak.

We amplified these moments across social media and secured press coverage in publications like Vogue Business and 1 Granary, which led to people proactively discovering and reaching out to us. Instagram has been a highly effective channel, allowing us to engage directly with our followers and connect with new brands. Following a positive media spotlight, we had around 100 new sign-ups on the platform over night. Instead of leaving them to figure things out alone, we personally reached out to every single one, understanding their pain points and improving the product to serve them better.

The biggest lesson? Persistence pays off. Don’t be afraid to hustle, reach out, follow up, and fire moonshots—some of our most valuable partnerships came from taking a chance and putting ourselves forward. If you believe in your product, punch above your perceived weight.

What were the biggest lessons learned from building UPPFIRST?

One of the biggest lessons we learned was to keep as much in-house as possible. Early on, we relied on agencies and external partners, assuming their expertise would accelerate growth. In reality, no one cares as much as you do—outsourcing too much slowed us down, diluted our vision, and wasted resources. Bringing key functions in-house made us faster, sharper, and more effective.

The biggest mistake we see? Trying to perfect the product before launching. You’ll learn more from real users in one month of testing than in six months of planning. Another key lesson? Momentum matters. We launched before we felt “ready,” but that first launch created credibility, opportunities, and learnings we couldn’t have gained by waiting. If you believe in what you’re building, start now.

We also learned the value of working with people you know and trust. Building a business is tough, and having the right team—people who are aligned, adaptable, and as invested as you are—makes all the difference. Startups require fast decisions and constant pivots, and that’s only possible when you work with people who truly understand the vision.

Finally, persistence pays off—many of our biggest wins came from simply following up, taking chances, and punching above our perceived weight. Hustle, fire moonshots, and don’t underestimate what’s possible when you put yourself out there.

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