Flip is a “social shopping network” that could hack Gen Z’s Thred

In addition to a paid referral system that provides a significant amount of in-app credit to those who send friend invitations, Flip also appeals to Generation Z’s preference for authenticity and/or disdain for overt paid referrals.

Although users are clearly meant to scroll through endless videos of people trying to sell them things, paid and brand-sponsored posts are strictly prohibited. Five unnamed brands that went too far in this regard have already been expelled from the platform.

Third-party sellers are also blocked, meaning users can only buy beauty and fashion products directly from US brands – of which 1,000 are listed and 7,000 are expected to be added by the end of 2023.

While going head-to-head with TikTok is undoubtedly a risk, as users trust the creators they buy from and shopping is secondary to entertainment, the app has a good chance of lasting success on paper if it plays its cards right.

The data shows that this is the case 76% Gen Z shoppers read customer reviews before shopping online for the first time to prevent scams and evaluate the overall quality of goods. Personally, I have a Trustpilot shortcut that is instantly available in my Chrome account.

Given the innate accuracy of the group, the premise of providing real reviews (not sponsored scams) is an essential part of the app’s shopping experience mobilize Of meaning.

However, Flip currently finds itself in a strange middle ground in that it’s neither quite as entertaining as TikTok, nor the “gold standard” like Amazon when it comes to product selection or delivery processing.

It also remains to be seen whether these high financial outlays for customer acquisition – i.e. providing generous in-app credit for invites – will be sustainable in the long term.

Necessity is no longer the mother of invention, but convenience. But where does Flip stand on this scale?