Amazon launches Inspire, a TikTok-like shopping feed that supports both photos and videos • TechCrunch

Amazon is bringing a TikTok-like shopping experience to its app. The company today announced the launch of Inspire, a new short-form photo and video feed that allows consumers to discover products and ideas and shop from content created by influencers, brands, and other customers. The feature is designed to draw consumer attention away from apps like TikTok, where brands can market directly to consumers to drive sales on Amazon.com.

The retailer said the shopping feature will initially roll out to select customers in the US in early December and will be made available to US customers broadly in the following months.

The launch follows tests earlier this year when Amazon already test discovery with TikTok-like shopping feed in your app, then has its own navigation button at the bottom of the Amazon mobile app. In the currently live version, that top-level spot in the main navigation remains the same, however, the Inspir feed will now be accessible by tapping the light bulb icon instead of the needle icon. diamond seen in the tests.

Image credits: Amazon

To get started with Inspire, customers will open the Amazon Shopping app and tap the Inspire icon. On initial launch, they are prompted to choose from over 20 interests, including things like makeup, skincare, pets, gaming, plants, hiking, interior design, travel, jogging, etc. to personalize their Inspire feed.

While Inspire focuses on short-form video content, it also offers support for photos, making it something of a cross between TikTok and Instagram. Like Instagram, you can double-tap anywhere on the screen to “like” content with a red heart. However, scrolling through the Inspire experience is like using TikTok’s vertical video feed, where you swipe up from the bottom to see the next video. The interactive buttons are also disabled on the right side of the screen, like on TikTok.

Image credits: Amazon

When you see something you like, you can click the little buttons at the bottom of the window that link to the product on Amazon. Initially, when these buttons are pressed, the product will pop up in an overlay window above the video, but tapping on “View all details” will take you to the item’s product page where you can read more , make a purchase, or add it to a list.

Over time, Amazon says the feed will customize itself better as Inspire learns more about users’ interests by tracking their engagement and likes. In the long term, the retailer plans to add more purchasable features to the Inspire, as well as additional in-app content and functionality, to further improve the product.

Image credits: Amazon

“We invent every day to make shopping easy and fun,” Amazon’s Chief Procurement Officer, Oliver Messenger, said in a statement about the launch. “Inspire is our new shopping experience that connects Amazon customers with shoppable content created by other customers, the latest influencers, and multiple brands. In just a few taps, customers can discover new products or get inspired on what to buy, all tailored to their interests, and then purchase those items on Amazon,” Messenger said. said.

The company has curated a handful of Amazon Influencers to post on Inspire, including ghost badiyan, Reality Pursia, and others. Creators will be able to monetize customer purchases through Amazon Influencer Program.

Badiyan notes: “My audience wants engaging videos that introduce them to new products, which is why I’m so excited to use Inspire to highlight their favorite everyday essentials. me with the convenience of shopping those items instantly on Amazon.”

Additionally, brands can post to Inspire, including vendors and sellers registered in the Trademark Registry with an active Brand Store, Amazon said.

Amazon has a long history of using a popular format from social media to engage shoppers and inspire purchases. In previous years, it provided a Pinterest-like feature called Cool Search after first testing the idea in other variations, including like Amazon Collection 2013afterward Amazon Series 2015. In the years that followed, it hosted an Instagram clone named Amazon Sparkbut in the end it end that program in 2019 only after a few years. Spark Key Stakeholder, Amazon Vice President of Consumer Engagement Chee Chew also departed in early 2019.

Elsewhere on the site, Amazon has taken inspiration from live-streaming shopping with Amazon Live and even just one try YouTube copy where people can upload videos.

Unfortunately, most of Amazon’s social media tends to be pretty bland, as content exists only to promote products. Meanwhile, people browse social sites not only to find ideas about things to buy. They want to interact with creative people, learn new things, laugh and be entertained. It’s unclear if the Inspire can deliver these elements, despite the move to video.

Amazon Inspire is currently only available in the Amazon mobile app on iOS and Android, initially for select customers.