16th January 2025
Since partnering with FPE, Tom Cox, founder of 15gifts, has been at the forefront of transforming online sales by replicating the human sales advisor experience in a digital environment. In this Q&A, Tom discusses 15gifts' journey, the impact of FPE’s partnership, and the drivers shaping the company's future as it helps consumers make more confident online purchases.
Q: Can you tell us about the origins of 15gifts?
Tom: Absolutely. I founded 15gifts back in 2010. Initially, it was a B2C gift-finding website where users would answer a few questions, and we’d suggest 15 gifts from across the web based on similar preferences. The name 15gifts made sense for that concept at the time.
Not long after launching, we were approached by tech blogs questioning if this was the start of ‘conversational commerce’—websites trying to mimic human interaction. That interest led us to pivot when large organisations began asking if we could integrate our conversational search technology into their sites to help customers make more confident decisions. That’s when we transitioned to building virtual sales advisor technology that fits on sites and tries to replicate human sales behaviour.
Q: Is the core mission of 15gifts today?
Tom: Yes, our mission is to create a virtual sales advisor that performs better than a human sales advisor. To do that, we need to deeply understand the psychology of selling - what makes a good human sales advisor - and then use technology to replicate those capabilities. And through that research, then use various technologies to try and mirror those capabilities, mirror those sales techniques to see if we can create technology that starts to outperform a human.
Q: What problem are you solving for customers?
Tom: More people than ever are shopping online, but the challenge is that it’s often difficult to feel truly confident in your purchase decision. That’s especially true for high-value, complex products where buyers might be stuck with their choice for a long time.
A good in-store salesperson builds trust quickly, understands the customer’s needs, and guides them toward the right product. Online, that trust is even more fragile - if a shopper loses confidence in the guidance they’re receiving, they’ll simply leave the site unlike in a store where you are likely to walk away. Our technology helps brands recreate that trusted in-store experience by providing tailored recommendations, building rapport, and making the buying process easier.
Q: Who are your primary customers?
Tom: Right now, we’re heavily focused on the telco sector. We work with 100% of the UK telco networks and two of the top three in the US, with another major partnership on the horizon. Telco is a great fit because purchasing decisions in this space are complex, high-priced, and meaningful - exactly the kind of decisions where customers need extra confidence.
However, the challenge we’re solving isn’t unique to telco. The product has broad applications across industries where customers struggle with choice paralysis or worry about making the wrong decision. Whilst specialisation in telco has been a strong foundation for us, we’re actively exploring opportunities beyond that space.
Q: How has that partnership with FPE impacted the business?
Tom: Before FPE, we ran 15gifts for 12 years without external investment. We took an organic growth approach, reinvesting profits to scale the business. That method gave us full control but also meant our ability to invest in future innovation was limited.
With FPE’s backing, we now have the ability to invest in a more meaningful way in the future of the business. We’ve been able to invest significantly in product development, particularly in AI-driven advancements. The team has grown by 30% in the past year, and we now have a substantial portion of our workforce focused on the next evolution of our product, particularly in generative AI.
Beyond funding, FPE has brought a level of strategic discipline that’s been incredibly valuable. They don’t just focus on financials - they actively help us solve our biggest challenges. Our board meetings aren’t just reporting sessions; they’re collaborative problem-solving discussions. That level of engagement has been a real asset.
Q: How has the last year been for 15gifts?
Tom: It’s been a transformative year. We’ve expanded our team, made significant strides in product development, and grown the business by around 30%. Importantly, we’ve hit our financial targets for 18 consecutive months, which is particularly valuable in today’s unpredictable economic climate.
Telco has proven to be a resilient market, and because our technology directly boosts online conversion rates, it remains a high-priority investment for our clients even during budget cuts. That’s helped us navigate economic challenges while continuing to scale.
Q: What excites you most about the future?
Tom: Honestly, this next phase of 15gifts has given me a new lease on life. After running the business for 14 years, having a fresh injection of investment, talent, and strategic input has reinvigorated my excitement for what’s ahead.
We’re evolving our product into something that mirrors human sales behaviour more closely than ever, leveraging generative AI and sales psychology in new ways. At the same time, we’re expanding beyond telco into other industries where our technology can make a real impact.
It feels like we’re at the start of something truly transformative, and that’s a great place to be.
15gifts is redefining online sales by replicating the confidence-building experience of human advisors in a digital environment.
For more updates on 15gifts and their journey, follow them on LinkedIn or visit their website.