It’s tough making money online when everyone else is, too, and it takes Web start-ups with fresh angles and useful products to actually get on the scoreboard, let alone win. We’re not sure if these four online apps for deal-hounds and daily shoppers will become the next Travelocity or Amazon, but they stood out at the half-day Plug and Play Expo in Sunnyvale, CA.

Voyij is a alpha-stage deal-finder for the travel industry. Unlike Kayak, Orbitz, and Travelocity, Voyij doesn’t collect real-time inventory. Instead, it seeks distressed and discounted fares and serves you what you want based not just on your destination, but on the experience you want.

Sesh’s main concern is to give online shopping sites a shot of personality–importantly, the kind of information and human touch that bring questing customers into brick and mortar stores. The customer and service rep use collaboration software with drawing and chat tools to discuss the site and products. If Sesh is successful marketing this to online stores, it’s a feature that could convert a lot of those late blooming e-shoppers who resist impersonal experiences.

Apprema’s premise is to deliver real gifts to your real friends via e-mail or social networking sites. You can place an Apprema Gift Box widget on your blog or profile where you’ll be able to receive gifts that are typically under $10 apiece–a Starbucks drink, for instance. If you gift through the widget, others can see your generosity. It sure beats getting or giving five of Facebook’s virtual cartoons for your birthday.

SmartShopIt is essentially a site that evaluates the items on your shopping list and compares and contrasts the prices at various stores to try to find you the best deals, and the overall cheapest place to shop that day.

More: continued here

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Share This  |  Email It  |  Print It  |  Subscribe to It!
This entry was posted on Thursday, September 25th, 2008 at 7:09 pm and is filed under Web 2.0 Business, Web 2.0 Tools, Web 2.0 News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.