New Ebay iPad app promotes "couch commerce"
A lot of iPad and iPhone users have found the sweet spot for that device: the couch. And now TechCrunch reports eBay and PayPal are hoping to capitalize on that with a new addition to their iOS app. A new feature called "Watch With eBay" appears in the latest update to the iPad version of the eBay app, allowing you to cruise eBay for items related to whatever you're watching.
Right now, the way the app determines what you're watching is by finding out from you. After you type in your zip code and select your cable provider and channel, it shows you items related to that particular show, as illustrated in the image here. While it's still reasonably neat to have this happen, and the searches are pretty slick, I'll like it a lot more when there's some sort of SoundHound functionality that can identify the TV show for me. If you want to see the new feature in action, eBay has a video on YouTube showing it off.
For my example it was mostly accurate, but I did get a few copies of the Queen Documentary mixed in with all the autographed photos and coffee table books. I searched again using "Ellen" as an example and it gave me items related to the guests on her show today. I am guessing this is just the first wave of this sort of interaction, and I'm interested to see where it ends up. Who do you think will be next, and how?
