Volantis Announces the Social Storefront
Volantis launches the social storefront.
What is it?
Well it is a more storefront that connects subscribers with social network Facebook.
What does that mean?
Well it seem as though it is a gateway for mobile operators to enable them to connect and recommend mobile content or music to friends via Facebook profiles. This means that when a friend recommends something – the Volantis system can make this into a transaction.
So basically operators will be able to sell content via the social marketplace – which in this case is Facebook.
From the press release:
“Social networks are becoming the first stop for people who want to talk about media experiences,” says Aleksey Lobanov, Senior Project Manager, VimpelCom. “We’re excited Volantis is providing an easy and effective way for us to extend our mobile portal content and services across these communities. This solution will convert activity into revenue.”
“Facebook Platform provides a new channel for customer acquisition, increased content sales and increased average revenue per user,” said Mark Watson, CEO of Volantis. “We’re continuing to add more Facebook integration to the Volantis Content Delivery Platform so that, in addition to core functions such as content ingestion, adaptation and delivery, it can provide a complete integrated platform for campaign management and advertising delivery, across both fixed and mobile channels and linking the social networking channel with email, mobile messaging, on device portals and mobile browsing.”
What we think?
I sort of like this and I see the potential for operators. Content management systems are vital and operators do need a way to maximise the revenue potential of mobile content sites.
But if you are online and you get a recommendation you are going to just follow it through online. With this storefront it is relying on mobile web transactions and is the mobile the best device for recommendation/ content purchases or creating wish lists?
I have to think about this as while it sounds like a nice convenient money spinner – I am not sure that the content system here can take on the likes of Facebook as the rich or personalised recommendation or requests for the transactions…
Hmm it gets worse as you read further down the press release.
It seems that to use or offer social storefront you need several other Volantis services such as Volantis Content Delivery and Buzzcast and Transcoder.
Confused? Yes – I am now as well.
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2 Responses to “Volantis Announces the Social Storefront”
Hi - just to clarify a few things (in somewhat reverse order to how you’ve mentioned them), the Storefront product forms part of a wider suite called the Content Delivery Platform. Another product in the suite is our Buzzcast product, which provides push services. But, per the release, the only thing you need for this functionality is the Storefront.
The Storefront doesn’t include its own social networking platform, it’s designed to leverage platforms such as Facebook (we will support others, but Facebook’s publicity rules don’t permit them to be mentioned in the same breath).
On the fixed vs mobile question - you would be able to click through from the facebook recommendation on your PC screen and buy content which then gets sent to your handset (i.e. Storefront provides both PC-web and mobile-web interfaces to users). The platform also permits other types of recommendation, for example to provide existing customers with bonuses and prizes if they manage to bring one of their friends over to a particular operator, or for just recommending content that gets sold.
Best wishes
Comment made on July 29th, 2008 at 1:49 pmMark
Mark
Comment made on July 30th, 2008 at 7:21 amthanks for your comments - lets meet next time I am in the UK, Bena
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