Blippy.com Forces Shoppers To Open Their Wallets

In an age where nude photos of celebrities and identity theft run rampant, Blippy.com has taken over-sharing to a level where few have gone before: inside of a consumer's wallet. Literally.

This new social networking site launched only two months ago allows its users to post and discuss their latest purchases. Though the site doesn't focus on one brand in particular, it does provide important clues for brands regarding which companies are, and are not, connecting with consumers.

It can also give budding brands much-needed exposure. "From the user perspective, it's just a stream of cool stuff that your friends are buying. From the business perspective, it's the ultimate word-of-mouth marketing: I buy something and tell all my friends about it,” said Blippy.com co-founder Philip Kaplan.

Members of the site review products, allowing others to feel comfortable about purchasing specific – often untested – brands. Web-based sites such as Amazon and Apple's iTunes Store, which also allow item reviews, offer some obvious competition, but Blippy.com offers a much simpler, streamlined aesthetic.

Younger consumers find solace in post-shopping video-blogging, starting a trend on sites like YouTube and Vimeo. And Blippy.com, as an extension of that phenomenon, forces shoppers to face the harsh realities of their spending habits. And it has created an intimate forum with security features that enables members to censor what information goes public. After all, does the world really want to know how much fast food you buy in a given week.