ShopThing Raises $10 Million in Series A To scale Live Video Shopping

ShopThing, was founded by Maggie Adhami-Boynton in 2018. It's a Toronto-based company that focuses on providing a live shopping experience. Adhami-Boynton got the idea through Instagram, after coming across a New York-based personal shopper who live streams from stores and find items for her followers to buy.

ShopThing’s app leverages its network of shoppers and influencers to live stream special deal products in stores to their audiences and if customers like the deal, purchase the item on their behalf. Since, the deals are only live for 24 hours, this induces a sense of scarcity, driving some impulsive buying. 

ShopThing currently has 100+ shoppers and influencers on its platform across North America, who live stream from stores, showcasing items that are available for purchase. The shoppers can go into to any store, albeit, ShopThing has formed strategic partnerships with Stuart Weitzman, Nordstrom, Ted Baker and more, to get exclusive deals.

“Our target audience is a busy female aged somewhere between 25 and 45 who is looking for the convenience of not having to shop on her own but loves purchasing online. So she looks to our influencers to create a look for her, answer questions and allow her to make a purchase,” Adhami-Boynton said. “When our shoppers are live, they’re available to answer any questions about things like sizes. It’s a highly curated shopping experience.”

ShopThing has 500,000 users across North America and has raised $10 million in Series A funding. The funding will be used for adding more shoppers to the platform, geographic expansion and creating membership programs, targeted for Q2.

“We’re currently in about seven or eight markets and we want to be in 12 to 15 markets by the end of the year and increase our shopper team by about five times,” Adhami-Boynton said. “In terms of the future, we’re going to launch a membership program that will give our customers exclusive access to benefits and perks.”