A new “peer-to-peer recommendation” shopping app called LetsBab launched today across the U.K. and U.S.
The London-based platform operates similarly to online fashion marketplaces Poshmark and Tradesy. However, instead of straightforward social e-commerce shopping, LetsBab promises to reward users for sharing and shopping for their favorite items.
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“LetsBab is first-to-market in democratizing the voice of recommendation,” Bonnie Takhar, founder and CEO of LetsBab, told Observer in a statement. This is done through peer-to-peer endorsements for the offered products across the platform, with the interface powered through A.I., which helps create machine-learning algorithms to help customers find their favorite brands.
What LetsBab does most differently than other platforms is that it monetarily reward its most active users “for their influence,” Takhar explained. At the same time, the platform is meant to bring back the “social” aspect of shopping, a nostalgic side effect that consumers lost once they ditched the mall and opted for free shipping.
So instead of idly browsing and adding an item to your Amazon cart, the app’s interface allows you to “Bab it,” AKA share with a friend through text, email or other social media platforms.
“LetsBab ‘socializes’ the shopping experience in the digital space. We know that a personal recommendation is the most powerful; it’s something we do every day, but there is no one platform that facilitates, tracks and rewards this behavior.” Takhar explained. She likens the experience to a shopping trip with friends, where you give recommendations for what they’re trying on.
And this word-of-mouth experience will reward you if your friends like what you’ve chosen for them. Once your friend has made the recommended purchase, you’ll earn five percent of the sale. And if you’re feeling generous, you have the option to choose to give the proceeds to a partner charity, including Women for Women, Movember and The Trevor Project, among others.
As the e-commerce scene becomes more saturated—thanks to all the Instagram influencers and their #spon deals—the industry is looking for more genuine, peer-powered way to attract shoppers.
And Takhar agrees, saying that LetsBab’s model is “an authentic next step for brands as they continue to diversify their marketing and distribution strategies by harnessing the power of word of mouth and the authenticity of peer-to-peer recommendations.”
