Unusual twosome mix it up for e-commerce

Digital media company Mashable and Visa are doing a little mashing of their own to launch a new online retail entity.

The two companies have launched the Mashable Shop, an e-commerce storefront accessible via the Mashable media site. Mashable Shop offers both original apparel and accessories, as well curated technology products and select merchandise from Williams-Sonoma. The Visa Checkout online payment service will be the exclusive form of payment.

Visa has partnered with a wide variety of retailers, as well as media platforms such as Pinterest, to offer Visa Checkout as a payment option. However, making Visa Checkout as an exclusive means if payment is a new development that would seem to favor Visa while putting Mashable Shop at a disadvantage.

Presumably, the partnership includes favorable financial terms, and possibly other perks, that make only accepting Visa Checkout a worthwhile endeavor. While Mashable Shop is a small e-commerce entity, if this arrangement proves successful, look for other online and mobile payment services to also pursue exclusive partnerships.

“Visa Checkout and the Mashable Shop are the perfect pairing this holiday season – giving the Mashable community the ability to pay for the ‘most-wanted’ gifts in two clicks or less,” said Sam Shrauger, senior VP, digital solutions, Visa. “Not only are we offering Mashable readers a fast, easy way to shop and pay for gifts they love, the shop gives Visa’s merchant partners a new digital platform to showcase great holiday gifts this season.”