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You've heard of icons… and now, there's a new kind of icons specifically for e-commerce -- called "Buycons" -- that enable instant drag-and-drop online shopping. The new e-commerce technology is at the core of QuickBuy's new shopping-cart-like solution, and the startup company hopes that their innovation will "change the way the world shops."
QuickBuy's buyable icons, known as BuyconsTM, are designed to transform online shopping into a completely intuitive, visual process and to reduce the number of steps involved in making an online purchase.
How It Works
While a Buycon appears to be a simple picture file, it is actually a Java-based "intelligent" icon packed with invisible product information such as price, color, size and item availability. Shoppers can drag the icon images to their personal shopping carts and make instant online purchases with the click of a mouse.
In theory, users will also be able to include Buycons as e-mail attachments, for example, to send a colleague or friend a picture of a product that you think they may want to buy. The recipient could then click on the picture to see more information about the product, and then drag and drop it to their QuickBuy cart to buy the product.
"QuickBuy's mission is to dramatically streamline the online shopping experience," said Gary S. Miliefsky, CEO and president of QuickBuy, Inc.
QuickBuy is trying to crack the market by providing free software plug-ins that are compatible with Web development and payment processing platforms like NetObjects Fusion, Cardservice International, and Computer Associates' Jasmine. However, once a Web developer integrates the Buycons into an e-commerce site, monthly charges will apply.
And Will It Work?
The idea of drag-and-drop online purchasing is appealing. However, a major commitment on behalf of e-commerce sites would be necessary for the new technology to move into prominence.
One major drawback is the need for a specialized server to be installed, to support sites that offer more than 100 products. The server is needed to support the proprietary Buycon technology. In an age of open standards, adoption of proprietary technology is increasingly rare.
Nonetheless, QuickBuy's Miliefsky told the E-Commerce Times he expects the new technology will "catch on like wildfire" with buyers. And apparently, attendees at this week's Internet Commerce Expo (ICe) in Boston like the concept. A spokesman for the company indicates that QuickBuy earned a "Best of Show" award, announced today at the ICe show.
Miliefsky indicates that QuickBuy will be in beta test for the next two to three months, and should then be available for implementation on small e-commerce sites. Pricing will be in the neighborhood of $10 to $30 (US$) per month for small merchants supporting the technology. A larger, more powerful version for larger sites is targeted for later this year, with pricing yet to be determined.
