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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.
Top Rated Comments
I wish Apple would but their resources back into building computers.
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!
My wife is constantly on Pinterist. It seems to have a very heavy female following.
TheFancy is just a home shopping channel in HD.
Would be *very* surprised if there was anything to this rumor.
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".