Snap Trials Amazon Visual Search On Snapchat

Snap has linked with Amazon on a “visual search” feature that allows users to trigger an online search via the Snapchat camera on a mobile device.

The deal is the latest effort to use smartphones’ increasingly sophisticated cameras to streamline online buying and selling processes.

Snap said users can search for an item by pointing the Snapchat camera at the physical product or a barcode.

Shopping link

When the item or barcode is recognised, an Amazon card is displayed indicating the product or similar ones on the e-commerce firm’s site.

Users can then click on the card to jump over to Amazon’s app or website.

The feature is currently in testing with a small number of US users, and is to be rolled out more broadly later, Snap said in a blog post.

The Los Angeles-based company didn’t disclose details of its financial arrangement with Amazon.

Amazn and rival eBay both already have visual search features. The deal exposes Amazon’s version to Snap’s base of young users.

Pinterest has a tool allowing users to shop for items via images, while eBay allows merchants to use a smartphone photo to automatically populate sales data such as brand and product description, even suggesting prices and the size of the shipping box.