Geenee Bags $4.4M To Make It Easier To Shop Instagram

Content creation platforms like Instagram are harder to wire into customer shopping habits that one might assume. Geenee is hoping to bridge that gap.

Its platform allows users to shop Instagram by taking a picture of the post a shopper likes and uploading it to the app. At that point, the post can be segmented into the individual consumable objects — making it possible for the consumer to pick which one they want to buy. Geenee can suss out brand, SKU and places where it can be bought.

Geenee is, at this point, a fashion discovery app — though founder Thorsten Magers notes that he believes its services could work across verticals.

Geenee specifically targets influencers — and offers a fairly simple one-time sign-on that gives the firm full access to the influencer’s Instagram profile and posts. Those posts are then scanned, inventory of items in the pictures is taken and then that information is connected with its affiliate program to push the customer to the various places the item can be purchased.

“The idea is to give users the opportunity to act the very moment that they’re inspired,” said Magers. “Up until now, users had to wait for an email from RewardStyle with these items or do their own research, but we want to make it as easy as taking a screenshot.”

Items that aren’t available — because hey are too old or new — will still be scanned by the technology, which will offer an alternative that is similar to the user.

To make money, Geenee takes a cut of sales made through the platform, and gives another slice of the pie to its influencers.

Geenee has more than 200 influencers currently on the platform, with more than 5,000 brands and millions of items.

The firm has bagged to $4.4 million in funding — with participation from Highlight Communications AG, Constantin Medien AG, Stephen Cohen and Steve Titus, among others.