Snapchat teams up with Amazon to launch visual search tool

Snap Inc., the company behind messaging app Snapchat, has announced a new tool in partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon. Beginning this week, Snapchat users are able to search for products on Amazon by pointing the Snapchat camera at a physical product or bar code.

“When the item or bar code is recognized, an Amazon card will appear on-screen, surfacing a link for that product or similar ones available on Amazon”, explained Snap Inc in a statement. Users can then click on the card and be taken to Amazon's app website.

The new tool signals Snapchat’s efforts to compete with Instagram, which has recently released in-app shopping features allowing business accounts to add product links to photos, videos and stories posted on the platform. Instagram was also recently said to be working on a separate shopping app, which would let users browse collections of goods from brands that they follow and purchase them directly via the platform, although those rumors have not been confirmed by Instagram's parent company, Facebook.

Photo: courtesy of Snapchat