New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Reportedly Interested in Acquiring 'The Fancy', a Pinterest Rival

Saturday August 4, 2012 5:36 pm PDT by Arnold Kim
BusinessInsider has heard that Apple is presently in talks to acquire social sharing and commerce site The Fancy.
The objective: to secure a role for Apple in the growing e-commerce market, putting the 400 million-plus users with credit cards on file with Apple's iTunes Store to work shopping—with Apple getting a cut of the action.
The Fancy is described as a rival to the fast growing Pinterest site which is used to share photos of items found online. The Fancy describes itself:
Fancy is part store, blog, magazine and wishlist. It's a place to discover great stuff, to curate a collection of things you love, to get updates on your favorite brands and stores and to share your discoveries.

Use it to create a catalog of your favorite things around the web and around the world. When you find something you love somewhere on the web, Fancy it.
The Fancy's biggest advantage over its rival appears to be the ability for users to purchase items directly from the site. Both allow users to "pin" or "fancy" products found on the internet and allow other users to browse these items in various collections.

Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly met with The Fancy CEO at Allen & Co.'s Sun Valley conference. Cook even created an account on the service and "fancied" seven different items. Businessinsider speculates that Apple's interest in the company may have to do with a broader e-commerce strategy.

[ 81 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
skellener
90 months ago
Apple - just stop already. You don't do social. You don't need to either. Stick to what you know. Hardware and great OSes.
Rating: 31 Votes
Avatar
ChrisA
90 months ago
What I DON'T want is any kind of "shopping clutter" on my computer screen. I use two layers of ad blockers already. I don't want Apple to become another Google.

I wish Apple would but their resources back into building computers.
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
deannnnn
90 months ago

Pinterest is a complete waste - doubt it even exists five years from now.


I would imagine that a lot of people feel this way about MacRumors. When you look at a popular site like Pinterest and say "Why would anyone want to pin recipes and clothes onto a virtual board?", there are plenty of others who would look at MacRumors and say "Why would anyone want to read about the front panel glass specifications on an unreleased Apple device?"

It's all about personal taste!
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
damir00
90 months ago
Pinterest is a complete waste - doubt it even exists five years from now.

TheFancy is just a home shopping channel in HD.

Would be *very* surprised if there was anything to this rumor.
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
longofest
90 months ago

Pinterest is a complete waste - doubt it even exists five years from now.

TheFancy is just a home shopping channel in HD.

Would be *very* surprised if there was anything to this rumor.


It might not be around five years from now, but its a great site. There are a lot of really cool ideas on there that people from cooks to interior designers use. You have no idea.


My wife is constantly on Pinterist. It seems to have a very heavy female following.
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
longofest
90 months ago

Like I said...

QVC for internet users.


saying that in reply to my quote is a bit demeaning to women :(

I know my wife "pins" essentially any idea that she has that she wants to keep around and get reminded of later to help formulate ideas. Kind of like an internet cork/bulletin board. And then she can see other's ideas and collaborate off of that.

At least I think that's the idea. Like I said, not a user myself. But I know enough to disagree with the notion that it's a "QVC for internet users".
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
OrangeSVTguy
90 months ago
I've never even used Pinterest. I don't even know what they are :p
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
BornAgainMac
90 months ago
Apple, just sell your new 2012 iMacs and Mac Pros.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
damir00
90 months ago
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream?
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
Jamesesesesess
90 months ago
Pinterest is so dumb, it's just a ripoff of Tumblr streamlined for soccer moms :rolleyes:
Rating: 5 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]