Depop wants to blur the lines between e-commerce and social networks

As already established companies like eBay and Pinterest try to blend e-commerce and social networking, a British startup by the name of Depop has created an app from the ground up with this idea in mind. With $8 million in new funding, the company hopes to bring its Instagram-esque e-commerce/social platform to the States. 

While eBay tries to get more social and local, and Pinterest deepens is position in e-commerce, a new mobile app out of London is building out a platform that combines all of those experiences together natively. Depop, a mobile app for iOS and Android that is part Instagram-style social network and part eBay marketplace, has raised an $8 million Series A round led by Balderton Capital (formerly Benchmark Capital Europe) and Holtzbrinck Ventures. It will use the funding to expand into the U.S., with new hire Erik Martin, the ex-GM of Reddit, leading the charge.