Rnkd, Zappos Founder's New Site, Wants You To Share What You Wear
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Rnkd, the new startup from Zappos founder Nick Swinmurn, is something of a Foursquare for fashion: share the clothes you buy, Rnkd promises users, and you can score rewards from retailers.
What sets Rnkd apart from many other loyalty programs, however, is that users can leverage items they've already purchased -- so long as they're comfortable opening their closets to the world.
The startup seeks to turn your laundry piles into a goldmine, said Swinmurn, Rnkd's founder and CEO.
"There's value in your closet. You just have to show what you've got and you'll get rewards you didn't know existed," Swinmurn told The Huffington Post.
Rnkd encourages people to upload photos of clothes and accessories they own, along with information about the brands and where each item was purchased, in return for the chance to earn discounts and other perks. Rnkd awards users points for each belt, tee or blazer they upload, as well as for items uploaded by people they've referred to the site. The more points a user has, the more chances she has to win a prize, such as a Zappos gift certificate.
Swinmurn said he hopes to personalize online shopping by using the information people share on Rnkd to display different prices and products to a brand's most loyal customers.
"Every consumer has favorite brands and stores they are loyal to, but most have never been recognized or rewarded for their purchases," said Swinmurn in a statement. "If you buy more shoes from Nike than anyone else -– shouldn’t you be given early access to new lines and different pricing than someone who is trying the product for the first time and may never buy again? â€
Swinmurn argued that Rnkd, unlike many other social sites, gives people an incentive to share.
"Lots of sharing online is done for no reason. We're done sharing for the sake of sharing," he said. "You already have this stuff, so if you share what you have, it'll improve your future purchases and you'll get rewards and discounts, that kind of thing."
Rnkd has launched in beta and the still-buggy site has a few kinks to work out. Attempts to upload photos resulted in broken images, though a look around the site shows that other users have had more success. See screenshots of Rnkd below:
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article identified Nick Swinmurn as the co-founder of Zappos. He is the founder.
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First Posted: 11/16/11 11:01 AM ET Updated: 11/16/11 11:54 AM ET