Social Commerce: Shop Social with OpenSky

By Rachel Schramm - 06/01/2012 03:58:00

OpenSky has started a new business model that combines the personal connections of social media, with a marketplace mentality. OpenSky allows individual tastemakers “curators” to accumulate customers like Facebook friends by offering discounts on their favorite products.^[1] Currently, OpenSky recommends that potential curators, who are currently bloggers, have “100,000 monthly unique visitors and several thousand Twitter followers”^[2] so that they can get at least 4,000 OpenSky followers. So being an OpenSky curator isn’t simple, but a well-established online presence with an expertise in women’s lifestyle products could excel with OpenSky.

 

Celebrity-Driven Shopping

 

For consumers, OpenSky is free to join, and is easily customizable. They can select which updates they'd like to see, based on their product preferences. OpenSky has a 90-day return policy, so users are more likely to feel safe making a purchase when they have ample time to get their money back.^[1] An account with OpenSky.com grants users access to product recommendations from TV personalities, models, designers and authors, and gives you discounts on some of their top picks. This sense of connection to celebrity taste could be a powerful incentive for online shoppers.

 

Monetizing Social Interactions

 

Described by USA today as "...Twitter, but with shopping,"^[1] OpenSky opens the door to a brand new avenue for online shopping. Since launching on April 27th, OpenSky users have been able to use the advice of some of their favorite curators, like Bobby Flay, Padma Lakshmi and Alicia Silverstone, to guide their purchases when it comes to food, health, and design.  The fusion of celebrity-curator suggested products offered and discount prices seems to be driving internet users to OpenSky in droves. Indeed, the 200,000 members and one million unique visitors since the site's launch are a testament to OpenSky's popularity.^[3]

 

With the slogan "happiness guaranteed," OpenSky seems focused on customer satisfaction and appears on its way to achieving their goal of monetizing online social interaction. For bargain-hunting consumers, it could be a dream come true; but for follower-hungry bloggers, participating in OpenSky could be a real challenge.

 

References

 

[1] "About OpenSky." OpenSky. N.p., 2011. Web. 12 Aug 2011. <http://www2.opensky.com/about-us>.

 

[2] Ross, Gigi. "OpenSky Changes Ire Some Bloggers…But Is It Just Smart Business?" ShePosts.com. 11 Feb. 2011. Web. 1 Aug. 2011. http://sheposts.com/content/opensky-changes-ire-some-bloggers-it-just-smart-business.

 

[3] Schonfeld, Erick. "OpenSky Reboots As A Social Network For Shopping." TechCrunch (2011): 1. Web. 12 Aug 2011. <http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/24/opensky-reboots-social-network-shopping/>.