Snapchat is teaming up with Amazon.com to let users of its social-media app buy products based on what they see through their smartphone's camera lenses.
The company is currently testing this new way to search for products, which will be rolling out "slowly". It's easy to use. Simply point your Snapchat camera at a physical product or barcode, and press and hold on the camera screen to get started.
When the item or barcode is recognized, an Amazon card will appear on-screen, surfacing a link for that product or similar ones available on Amazon. Tap your selection to visit the Amazon App (if you have it installed on your phone) or Amazon.com, where you can complete your purchase or keep browsing.
The Los Angeles-based company, which went public at $17 a share last year, has posted disappointing revenue growth and user additions in some recent quarters.
Pinterest Inc. has a similar tool to shop for items or search for ideas via images. EBay is using smartphones to let merchants simply point their cameras at products and then auto-populate fields such as brand and product description, and even to suggest prices and the best box size. Amazon and others are also using smartphones and augmented reality to let shoppers point their cameras at their living rooms, for example, to see how a new couch might look inside before they buy it.