<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"David Tisch, the co-founder of TechStars NYC, today launched his new startup, Spring, an iOS-based ecommerce platform that has the support of several\u00A0high-end brands.\r\nShopping on the Spring app (US-only for now) feels like scrolling through Instagram if you only followed fashion brands, or Pinterest without all the amateur\u00A0crafts.\r\nProduct photos are meant to be edgy lifestyle images instead of your usual shots on a white background. At launch, Spring has over 100 brands on-board, including Warby Parker, Band of Outsiders and Hugo Boss.\r\n\u201CThe only brands we\u2019re letting onto the platform is brands that care about the customer, brands that have a soul,\u201D Tisch said.\r\nWhile the app contains a number of social media conventions, such as hearting products that you like, it\u2019s not actually a social experience. Instead, it\u2019s meant to be a one-to-one connection between you and the brands that you follow. Buying a product takes just a couple of swipes, and products ship directly from the retailers.\r\nSpring\u2019s goal is to give brands direct access to their shoppers. According to Tisch, the current ecommerce field either requires brands to build their own apps or it forces them to place control in the hands of third-party retailers. Of course, Spring is also a third-party, but it does its best to get out of the way. Since it never touches the products, it\u2019s more of a matchmaker than a middleman.\r\nMy first impression of Spring is that it\u2019s dangerous. Tisch tells me I\u2019m not alone, as it\u2019s a common response from testers. The app makes it all too\u00A0easy to spend money. If you have self control, this dangerous can be\u00A0a good thing, as it means that you\u2019re finding products that you\u2019re excited about. But, if you have a shopping addiction, Spring could cause all sorts of trouble for you. Consider yourself warned.\r\n\u00A0 \u00A0 \u00A0\r\nSpring is doing for the online shopping experience what the native movement is doing for advertising. It\u2019s content, storytelling and imaging as commerce.\r\nSpring will naturally take a cut of sales on its platform, but Tisch claims that the startup will be \u201Cthe most competitive way\u201D for retailers to sell to customers outside of their own channels. Brands that offer free shipping or exclusive products on Spring can have their fees reduced further.\r\nBrands won\u2019t be the only ones with voices on Spring\u2019s platform. The startup will include\u00A0curated collections from influencers and publications. The app also organizes products based on algorithmic trends, so you could filter for items that are popular in LA.\r\nSpring has raised a $7.5 million Series A round that includes backing from well-known luxury brands, including LVMH. The team currently has 30 members, including 12 engineers and three full-time designers."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://thenextweb.com/apps/2014/08/14/techstars-nyc-co-founder-launches-spring-brand-backed-mobile-marketplace/>