eBay and PayPal are both pushing the term ‘couch commerce,’ in which consumers will be using their tablets and mobile phones from the comfort of their couches to shop this holiday shopping season. eBay is launching a new feature of its iPad app, which should help take couch commerce to another level.
A new “Watch with eBay” tab has been added to the e-commerce giant’s iPad app that allows users to shop a selection of items on the marketplace related to
what they are currently watching on TV.
Users tap “Watch with eBay” and type in their zip code, cable provider, channel and the program they are currently watching; and using show and event-specific key word searches, the app will surface relevant merchandise from the more than 200 million listings available on the eBay marketplace.
eBay says this is just the beginning. The company plans to partner with networks, stations, cable providers and studio to identify products featured in each scene of a movie or show.
eBay believes there’s huge potential in blending couch commerce with TV content. According to the company, 86 percent of mobile internet users are using their devices while watching TV. A quarter of these users are browsing content related to what they are watching.
In fact, eBay and PayPal are predicting the first mobile shopping spike this holiday season will take place after dinner on Thanksgiving Day, when people will head for the couch, armed with their smartphones and tablets.