Have you used Shpock? It’s an unusual name and apparently stands for “SHop in your POCKet”. It’s a a buying and selling app that bills itself as “the boot sale app for beautiful things.” It’s been on my radar for a few years, very peripherally, and just recently I’ve heard it mentioned by people as a very useful local buying and selling app.
So I thought I’d give it a go. Downloading the app took seconds and even registering didn’t take long. My email address and phone number were verified and I was free to use the app. You’re shown items closest to you with the opportunity to refine and filter as you wish. It’s very much a visual experience as you browse through the wares.
And I decided to have a go at selling straight away. There’s a bulky item that I’ve had on Gumtree for over a week that has had a few nibbles. It’s also been on eBay too with a fairly hefty carriage charge and it’s attracted views and a few watchers but no buyers. The pics were still on my mobile so I listed it on Shpock. It took mere moments.
It also took mere moments, well, 1 hour and 10 minutes, for someone to register interest, offer me the asking price and ask when he can come over and collect. Interestingly, when you do a transaction on Shpock, they tell you very firmly that it’s “legally binding” once you both confirm.
Gumtree should be worried. It’s a very sexy and well designed little app that searches in your close proximity. I can see that it might become addictive. That said, I live in a metropolitan, densely populated area. The Shpock app provides me with a plethora of items to buy within a few minutes walk. That will likely not be the case in more suburban or rural areas. And, round me, I seem to have a lot of women and mums selling fancy shoes and no-longer-needed baby items.
If truth be told it doesn’t at the moment have any realistic application for serious sellers. It’s ideal if you’re trying to get a few quid from a clear out or have some bulky items to shift. It basically occupies the same space as Gumtree with a much more locally based, engaging interface.
We’ll see whether my buyer arrives with the readies at the appointed time on Friday afternoon. I’m reasonably hopeful. He has previous positive feedback in buying similar items. Watch this space.
