Mobile App Co. Packagd Looking To Become Millennials’ QVC

With QVC still making billions in revenue per year, Packagd is building a series of mobile apps designed to be the “QVC of the mobile generation.”

According to TechCrunch, Packagd was founded by KPCB General Partner Eric Feng, who also served as CTO of companies like Hulu and Flipboard. His firm put up the initial $1.5 million to get Packagd started, and the company has raised a $6 million Series A round led by Forerunner Ventures and GV.

Incubated by Kleiner Perkins, eCommerce company Packagd will combine unboxing and review videos with the ability to instantly purchase the products featured. The first mobile app being released is Unboxed, which is available on the Apple App Store, and curates a wide array of unboxing and product review videos that creators have uploaded to YouTube and then puts them together in a way that simulates the QVC-style of live video programming.

At launch, the company will have six hours of live programming, as well as replays available for those who aren’t able to tune in live. Packagd has hired a series of hosts, including popular unboxing and product review stars on YouTube, to interact with users and viewers, answering questions and providing feedback to those making comments.

Through its partnership with Best Buy, Packagd allows users to make one-click eCommerce purchases using mobile pay app Apple Pay. And creators whose videos are featured on Packagd will still get counts for their video views and continue to receive related advertising revenue from YouTube, while hosts and live moderators will receive affiliate revenue for sales that take place within the app while their programming is running live.

“The core thesis [behind Packagd] has worked in the past on TV…. The question is, can it translate now to do it on mobile?” said GV General Partner MG Siegler. “Given the expertise around the table on product development, I think there’s a good combination of people who know how to build a compelling user-facing product.”

Packagd won’t focus only on gadgets and other tech products — the company expects to release a second app with the same basic functions focused around the beauty and fashion industry in the coming months, and a third mobile app for toys could follow later in the year.

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