German start-up Shop.co, a web platform that lets users make purchases from multiple sites in a single transaction, is starting to scoop up the competition with an acquisition of Zen Shopping.
Zen Shopping is similar to Shop.co, which also has a base in San Francisco, in that it functions as a place for shoppers to check out from multiple stores, but it only operates with certain retailers.
Shop.co on the other hand functions as a browser extension and utilizes artificial intelligence in order to offer users a “universal cart” that works with every web shop in the U.S.
Shop.co said the acquisition of Zen Shopping is part of its promise to “give shoppers one cart across the entire web universe.”
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Company spokesman Oscar Cabot said the parties agreed not to disclose the price of the deal and that this is Shop.co’s first deal. He added that the company doesn’t currently have plans for any other acquisitions this year.
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Zen Shopping launched during the 2014 holiday shopping season in and, according to Shop.co, successfully tapped into a “strong demand” from shoppers who wanted to shop quickly across multiple online shops.
“Zen Shopping’s mission of being a smart shopping assistant matches perfectly with our vision for shoppers,” said Jay Habib, chief executive officer of Shop.co. “With this acquisition we are committed to providing a delightful experience across all e-commerce stores as well as across devices.”
Zen Shopping ceo Antonio Marzo echoed that sentiment, saying he is “delighted” with the acquisition given Shop.co’s similar broad goals.
“A commitment to a frictionless online shopping experience made it a no-brainer for us. We know our users will be well served with the Shop.co product,” Marzo added.
As for Shop.co going forward, the company said it intends “in the near future” to release a mobile app that will serve all mobile users.
“Our product roadmap is firmly centered around helping shoppers drive their shopping experience: letting them shop anywhere (on any site), at any time, on any device, without boundaries,” said Kimberly Cabot, Shop.co’s chief product officer.
The company was founded in 2014 in Düsseldorf, Germany, and raised $7 million in seed funding prior to its U.S. Launch and is preparing for another round of post-launch funding.