Want the latest jeans that Lauren Conrad wore on MTV’s pseudo-reality TV show, The Hills? Or maybe you want to snag the Dwight Schrute bobblehead toy that is shown on NBC’s The Office? Delivery Agent is helping television networks capitalize on this content by creating an online marketplace for products and merchandise that are seen on television shows. Delivery Agent has signed on all the major networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, and MTV Networks. And the company just signed deal to launch e-commerce storefronts for Discovery Networks, TLC, Animal Planet, the Military Channel and the Science Channel.
This is sort of like GumGum’s ShopThisLook feature, except for TV.
Here’s how it works. Delivery Agent creates a catalog of products appearing in networks’ movies and shows. The products then can be purchased through an e-commerce site called “Seen On” integrated into the show’s website. Products can also be purchased through Delivery Agent’s stand alone retail site, SeenOn.com. By outsourcing all e-commerce for products seen on their networks to Delivery Agent, networks are able to monetize their content while keeping their overhead costs low. CEO and founder Mike Fitzsimmons says that Delivery Agent handles all the buying and selling of the products and then pays the networks royalty fees based upon these sales.
Delivery Agent has also begun another effort to monetize product placements by coordinating advertising from the brands that manufacture the products that are shown on a networks’ TV shows. Delivery Agent will go through the index of products that will be airing on a show prior to when the episode airs, and then reach out to the brand and offer them the ability to buy an ad package.
Fitzsimmons claims revenues are growing at a healthy clip, but declines to specify what they are. Even so, with a recession looming over the retail and e-commerce sectors, it’s logical to think that Delivery Agent’s sales, both in terms of e-commerce and advertisements, could be negatively affected. Delivery Agent is trying to move into the mobile space by sending product alerts to fans of shows with information about what products are featured, and is looking into international markets for future expansion.
DA has been doing this for what, like 4-5 years now? And what is the exit strategy for their over – $60 MM investment — are you kidding?
How will Mike get out of this mess? What’s the “Grand Slam” — it’s been years and years, glorified Shopping Carts for the networks…
Add Coolspotters to the list who I believe was just funded by Steamboat, which is Disney related, which means access to entertainment biz.
Product placement content marketplace has been tried with limited success by many ventures. However with the growth of online viewing of long form content this could be an interesting play.
They should position themselves as providing relevant ads next to content in addition to content marketplace for products on TV.
Mining for product/brand info in TV series is quite simple either via CC data or services provided by Nielsen (monitor plus)
So, I love Tech Crunch. I check it at least 4x a day. Why is this article newsworthy today. Delivery Agent has been around for a loooooong time. So color me confused. I was thinking that there was something noteworthy here. They ran (run?) ShopNBC.com for a long time…I am just confused as to why we should be reading about them today.
Let’s be very clear. DA is not a competitor to GumGum or CoolSpotters. It is a competitor to direct fulfillment houses like GSI Commerce and the like.
DA’s value proposition does not lie in its technology (like GumGum, etc.). Rather, the major benefit it provides to its customers (the networks) is paying for all of the overhead to actually deliver products and manage customer service.
Think about why NBC outsources their PP fulfillment to DA instead of ShopNBC. It’s because this business isn’t profitable enough to be worth the shopping network’s time.
The advertising angle is more interesting though. That might be the key to a profitable exit for DA’s investors.
is this article newsworthy ?
In response to OldNews — Delivery Agent has been an incredible partner to work with for TVLoop. We’ve been working together to tie in merchandise and feature products on TV’s hottest shows with the unique video and community on TVLoop. In the television space, Delivery Agent simply is the dominant partner to work with on ecommerce, and they’ve got a great team. Regardless of how big the exit is, they’ve create a company and service that adds real value to our economy, which is really what any entrepreneur is trying to do.
Agreed with most comments above, with regards to Kevin Chou’s comment about the team, this is hardly news!
What’s the idea behind this post?
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Product placement is a new idea? What exactly do they bring to the table that is new or innovative?
Well it seems like I can’t even get a product from their main page. There is an e-commerce section, but then there is no way I can shop. This whole website is nothing more than a page full of television network logos.
Hmmmm….I actually had never heard of them, but from the comments section, it sounds like they’ve been around for ages. Must keep my head out of the sand…..