Search engines are a very good source for data. It’s a common fact. But with the world wide web expanding exponentially, more and more data is being indexed by the engines, so it’s become a bit more difficult to target your seach and to limit your search to a specific segment of the market. Unless there would be a search engine for every segment. That would make it easier to key in characteristics that are ‘general’ e.g. like ’smooth texture’, but it would still only return query answers that would have a direct link to the product you were doing research about.
Real Life Examples make it easier to believe, so what follows is a press release from incuBeta, who’s launched the world’s first Shoe Search Engine. Nifty as it seems, I bet you it is. Since we were kindly informed to “feel free to use or syndicate this release (without modification)“, the logical sequel comprehends the unedited message.
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incuBeta launches the World’s First Dedicated Shoe Search Engine
incuBeta has just launched ThatShoe.com, the world’s first vertical shoe search engine.
ThatShoe.com utilizes product catalog information from seventeen large merchants, including eBay, Amazon and Zappos.com. Currently in beta testing, ThatShoe.com offers a selection of hundreds of thousands of shoes. The merchant base will be further expanded over the next few months.
Says incuBeta’s Chief Strategy Officer, Vinny Lingham: “We created a one-stop-shop for consumers looking for shoes. It is quick and easy to use, unlike clicking through directories or mostly irrelevant search results. The quality of results is based solely on the merchants’ ability to provide quality data feeds.”
Asked whether he would consider merchants who approach ThatShoe.com for inclusion, he said: “Of course. We’ll consider all online and offline merchants who approach us, but ThatShoe.com will only include reliable merchants who are able to fulfill our users’ requirements.”
incuBeta sees much potential in vertical search engines. The shoe category is a prime online opportunity with huge potential for growth. Research publications by eMarketer and JupiterResearch , amongst others, point to the potential of vertical search engines, with retail expected to be a major component of the vertical search market. To quote David Hills, CE of LookSmart, “(t)here are times when you are looking for something … and, from an efficiency standpoint, a vertical search engine may help you find what is essential to you.” (In: San Francisco Chronicle)
incuBeta is a Business Day Technology Top 100 company and winner of the Commission Junction Horizon Award for Innovation in the USA.
Contact: Vinny Lingham at vinny.l@incubeta.com or +27 21 417 1363.
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Taken from Vinny Lingham’s Blog.