Two Retail Innovators With Large Client Base Merge To Create One Unified Omni-Channel Direction
By Hannah Ash, contributing writer
E-Commerce Provider Fluid Acquires Social Commerce Provider 8th Bridges
Two companies that focus on e-commerce and social commerce solutions have teamed up. According to this recent press release, digital shopping software and services company Fluid made waves with its recent acquisition of on-demand provider of social discovery, curation, analytics, and marketing solutions for retailers. 8thBridge’s technology and capabilities bring to Fluid, a comprehensive suite of solutions that help empower brands to deliver the 360-degree customer shopping experience today’s consumers have come to expect. The merger between Fluid and 8thBridge will likely give way to an engaging digital shopping experience supported by a fully integrated social analytics platform.
8thBridge, a Minneapolis company, sells social e-commerce growth software to large retailers including Target Corp, Toys “R” Us Inc., and Delta Airlines. 8thBridge’s software helps brands create onsite social discovery and fine-tune curation experiences that grab new customer insights and execute targeted loyalty programs and promotions as well as offering the ability to conduct social network retargeting. Fluid, whose customers include The North Face, Chico’s, LL Bean, HSN, and Vans, is focused on transforming the way shoppers shop. Fluid is currently known as an e-commerce innovator whose tagline is “leave no touchpoint untouched” is focused on transforming the way people shop. Its acquisition of 8thBridge is partnership that should stand the test of time, as 8thBridge focuses upon how shoppers socialize and connect with retail commerce. For an example: 8thBridge aims to learn and be able to leverage the 75,000 different things the average Facebook user shares on the social platform.
“We’re excited to be pairing up with Fluid,” comments Wade Gerten, CEO of 8thBridge, in a press release. “Our platform and social expertise plus Fluid’s digital shopping software and strategic services means brands will have cutting-edge shopping solutions to fit their needs. “Fluid and 8thBridge share a common vision that a differentiated experience is now the key relevancy driver for brands and retailers in the digital age. We will be working with Fluid to evolve the 8thBridge Graphite technology into an even more powerful platform for creating amazing ecommerce experiences for people.” With a combined retail client base that includes Toys “R” Us, Diapers.com, HSM, The North Face, Chico’s, LL Bean, Target Corp., and Delta Airlines, this new direction for Fluid is significant and appears to be flowing toward omni-channel success.