Luvocracy: Pinterest for People Who Actually Want to Buy Stuff

People flock to Pinterest to collect and keep track of inspirations, whether they're recipes to cook, destinations to visit or clothes to wear. But there's a promising new social network with a similar model focused less on dreaming and more on shopping.
San Francisco-based startup Luvocracy, which launched quietly this fall in beta, is based around the concept that we buy products more when they are recommended by others. And since 92% of consumers trust word of mouth over any form of advertising, according to Nielsen, it's a smart strategy for a company to embrace.

Here's how the site works: Similar to pinning on Pinterest, users can collect looks and products (from beauty products to tech gadgets) and tack them to boards. They can also repin products from friends, brands and tastemakers, which Luvocracy defines as bloggers, editors and stylists.

Meanwhile, when members comes across items on the web from any retailer — from Macy's to Etsy — that they want to post to a board, they can do so via the downloadable Luvocracy plug-in.
"We wanted to build a platform where you could see products recommended from everyone you trust in one place, so you can sift through it like a personalized catalog," Christine Martinez, creative director of Luvocracy, told Mashable. "You can showcase what you discover too or put it in your 'backroom,' which is only visible to you."

What's great about the service is products featured and tacked to boards are all in stock and ready for purchase. How many times do you find something you love on Pinterest, click through to its originating page and discover it's five years old and no longer for sale? This puts a major roadblock in place for those that may want to use Pinterest to find products they could potentially want to buy. Luvocracy bypasses this issue by forbidding a user to post a product to the site if it's not readily available for purchase.

The site also rewards users with a small percentage of money back if someone makes a purchase after buying one of your recommended products. Although it might take awhile to see any real reimbursement — which can be used for site credit or be mailed in check form — it's certainly possible for those with a large following to rake in some side cash.

The design of the site is also clean, organized and sleek — free from clutter and easy on the eyes. This is a welcomed change compared to some other sites popping up online that cram a lot of images and content into such a small space (Pinterest included).

Although Luvocracy hasn't publicly said how many users are on the site, it says the membership is indeed growing. And to help build up that brand loyalty, co-founder Nathan Stoll sends a thank you note to each user who makes a purchase for the first time.

So could Luvocracy be the new, better Pinterest? It depends on what you want from both sites. If you're looking for inspirations and ideas to spark creativity, Pinterest is your best bet. If you're looking for products to buy, Luvocracy's e-commerce abilities are seamless and an easy, integrated way to go.