A gig economy start-up that pays consumers to do spot-checks on big brands such as L’Oréal has raised £4.2m to fuel growth.
Shepper has developed a mobile app that recruits people to inspect things such as how make-up is displayed in chemists’ shops and the condition of bus stops, paying them to take photographs and file reports.
It was launched in April 2017 by Ben Prouty, who previously helped start the pay-as-you-go car rental service Streetcar. Shepper has already signed up 3,000 users in cities including London, Paris, and Sydney — mostly retirees and students.
Shepper claims its app saves big brands money compared with the cost of paying full-time security and maintenance contractors.
“In reality, these basic checks require no prior experience and can