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Twitter-Only Shopping Site Gets $4.7 Million Investment

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April 29th, 2009

Here’s another that sets off just about every credibility alarm we have here. Question: “Where can I find a great deal online for HP Pavilion DV4-1020US 14 1 Laptop 2 0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 Processor?” Answer: “With a striking, liquid metallic industrial design on the outside and powerful entertainment capabilities on the inside, HP Pavilion dv4 series lightweight notebook is the perfect partner for fun, communication and productivity on the go. Get it at Shopper.com starting at $970.” Yeah, when a sample answer—one that is supposed to typify what their answers will be like—describes a product as “the perfect partner for fun,” one doesn’t get the sense that a lot of rigorous analysis was involved.

Here’s another one. The question calls for a recommendation: “Which is better for personal use? MOTO Q Global or BlackBerry Curve 8310 Titanium?” This is a good test if the system will ever say anything negative about anything. Their answer: “The Moto Q Global features include Windows Mobile 5, a QWERTY keyboard, EV-DO high-speed data,Bluetooth , and a megapixel camera. It also comes equipped with a side scroll wheel, a miniSD memory card slot, and a full-duplex speakerphone. The BlackBerry Curve 8310 features Email,WiFi support,Maps,Browser,Instant messaging,Organizer,and Media player. I personally like the Blackberry,I love the GPS and the speed of how fast i can get to what i need.”

The problem: For a site that prides himself on the value of true human interaction—a premise that is absolutely on target—their representative answers for launch sound awfully machine-generated. It has the feeling of those Instant Message tech support services where you just know that someone is cutting and pasting on the other side and not really looking at the question.

A true customer service-oriented site, which earns its credibility with answers that spell out the good with the bad, could work quite well on Twitter. Despite the investment, not so sure this one delivers yet.

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Posted in E-Commerce, Mobile/Wireless/Contactless
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