New App Turns Anyone Into A Showroom

A b2b UK startup has established $400,000 in funding to launch video technology that will bring together fashion and commerce for a new interactive online shopping experience.

Smartzer, founded in 2012, secured funding from entrepreneur Jamie True and a group of undisclosed private investors — to make it so consumers can use video technology to shop directly from content steamed from a catwalk  or other fashion event to buy their favorite pieces as they watch.

 Smartzer’s technology features interactive options above the video that allows users to click on individual items and add them to a shopping list for later. The technology is designed to operate on  retailers’ websites or in their stores, which will be implemented with touchscreen displays.

There is competition in this space, says Founder Karoline Gross, but she says Smartzer’s angle focuses strictly on fashion and retail. The technology debuted at London Fashion Week last week where consumers tested the system with Giant iTab touchscreens.

“There is proven success in enhancing online sales through integration of video. However, the videos and actual online shop are still largely disconnected,” Gross told Tech Crunch of the problem the tech is looking to fix. “Finding items featured in videos can be extremely time consuming.”