Verishop turns online shopping into a virtual party

A Gen Z-friendly e-commerce platform is providing a brick-and-mortar-style group shopping experience to users of its iOS app.

Verishop, which positions itself as an Amazon challenger focused on “bringing joy” back to online shopping with a focus on younger consumers, is debuting a new iOS app feature called “Shop Party.” The feature enables app users to hang out over video chat, explore products and shoppable content, see what others are browsing to shop together, and check out directly in the app.

Customers can invite up to five friends to their own personal Shop Party, picking the time and date, as well as an optional theme. Participants can join a two-way conversation via video or audio chat. At the same time, they have access to a shoppable content feed of a saved assortment or specific products from Verishop’s inventory. 

Participants can add products to their cart and see what’s in their friends’ carts (with prices, sizes, and personal information hidden), as well as mark favorite items in their friends’ carts. Verishop brand partners, industry experts and stylists can also host a Shop Party for individual or small group shopping and educational sessions.

“At Verishop, we want to be there for every moment of your online shopping journey,” the company said in a statement. “Whether that’s shopping with friends through shop party, finding inspiration for your life in our shoppable content feed, showing off your style choices on your own profile, or searching for and buying a quality product.”