Quick app makes mobile a vibrant commerce channel

With so many marketplaces, Quick aims to bring buyers, sellers together across the Web

In 1995, eBay changed the world of commerce by bringing flea-market opportunities to the Web where people could buy and sell a whole host of goods from anywhere, in real-time. Since then more marketplaces have cropped up to further evolve transactions for big retailers to the single person looking to clear off their bookshelves, but one of the challenges that some sellers face is that they can’t manage multiple marketplace listings easily and efficiently.

One app is trying to make listing items for sale across multiple platforms a simple process, and one that can be done right from your mobile devise.

Launching Tuesday, Quick gives buyers and sellers an aggregated platform that can be searched and managed from a mobile device.

As of the launch, Quick is connected to Craigslist, Facebook, eBay and, of course, its own new QUICK Mobile Marketplace so that listing a single item on all the marketplaces can be done with just a few clicks on their app and, when an item sells on one of the platforms, then it is instantly removed from the others to prevent overselling.

As I’m sure you know, m-commerce is set to grow to $119 Billion by 2015, and already 79% of consumers are using their mobile phones to assist them while shopping. But as consumers increasingly turn to their smartphones to browse and shop, they are met with aging, complicated marketplaces that have not adapted to new mobile technologies.

As I’m sure you know, m-commerce is set to grow to $119 Billion by 2015, and already 79% of consumers are using their mobile phones to assist them while shopping. But as consumers increasingly turn to their smartphones to browse and shop, they are met with aging, complicated marketplaces that have not adapted to new mobile technologies.

Mobile commerce is on track to reach $119 billion by 2015, and already 79% of consumers are using their mobile phones to assist them while shopping, but not as many users are not able to find a mobile app that aggregates items together across platforms.

I caught up with Co-founder and President of Quick Technologies, Doug Brenhouse, to discuss just how this app changes the ecommerce environment.

“Selling on eBay just isn’t fun anymore when you have to deal with all the rules and pricing issues that come with it,” Brenhouse explained. “Our team wanted to take the simplicity that started online commerce and bring it to mobile so that people can have that instant connection and communication with buyers.”

By using the mobile platform, which has been an absent component in much of the commerce space, Quick hopes that buyers and sellers will be able to chat about purchases and negotiate prices, if desired, to really give that extra personal feel.

The application also has some fun mobile features such as the ability to search for items based on geo-location. This feature allows buyers and sellers the opportunity to meet, see the product, and avoid shipping charges, when applicable.

There are also handy in-app analytics that help the seller check and see what marketplaces, social networks and items are resonating with users. This means that every time someone sees or clicks on a product, it is logged in and you can better tailor your listings to follow trends.

The Quick team has worked hard to create a selling and buying process that fits the mobile app world well, making the search functions attractive and seamless and streamlining the item selling process so that power sellers or sporadic individual sellers both have all the functions and clarity they need to get the job done.

And, since typing on your mobile keyboard can be a drag, there are also features that allow you to scan the item barcode, autofill and search for item descriptions to complete listings without a lot of typing on your end. Not too shabby, right?

And, because the items can rapidly get listed across multiple platforms, the opportunity to sell desired goods increases significantly from those that only had the time and attention to list items on one site at a time – or at all.

Brehouse also pointed out that, for now, Quick is a free app for all users. Eventually power users or special tools may come with a charge, but at the moment it is a free service for all members.

Quick also offers Facebook-connection to help spread the word about items you have for sale through your friend circle (or fan page) and with this, offers a friends-only pricing option. Whether its for your friends and family or for your page fans, sellers can create special pricing that is only applicable to those that click on your items via Facebook.

“This is essentially a free-loyalty program to advertise special deals to my friends and not worry about the general population seeing another price,” Brenhouse pointed out.  

Currently, Quick is only available on Android and through its Web-platform, but will be releasing its iOS version soon and is expecting to add marketplace channels such as Etsy, Google Shopping, Amazon and others in coming months.