Amazon Spark is no more. Well, not in its current form anyway.
It’s very likely you haven’t heard of Spark, which may well explain why Amazon has taken this step. First introduced in 2017, Amazon Spark was a like Instagram and Pinterest crossed with ecommerce.
You’d select a bunch of interests, and would then be shown a steady stream of photographs of products you might be interested in, uploaded by people who had bought them. Other users could then respond with either a “smile” – essentially a Facebook Like – or with a comment of their own.
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In any case the Spark URL now redirects to a new #FoundItOnAmazon page, which is apparently where elements of Spark will live on. The site told The Verge that Spark has “pivoted and narrowed the experience based on what resonated with customers.”
“We’ve changed the name to #FoundItOnAmazon to reflect the tag that influencers are using on social media to share their great finds with others. #FoundItOnAmazon is currently available to all Amazon App customers and a large portion of desktop customers as well.”
As for why the change has happened now, TechCrunch has a theory, noting that the feature’s main champion, Chee Chew, left his role as VP of consumer engagement at Amazon earlier this year for Twilio. The report also suggests that Spark wasn’t hugely popular, with a source telling the site that just 10,000 Amazon customers used it in its first 24 hours.
In any case, the company will be hoping that #FoundItOnAmazon fares better. The section of the site seems to be focusing more on fashion and home decor: areas where shoppers tend to seek out inspiration before buying.
Did you ever use Amazon Spark? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.