Bazaarvoice, a provider of product reviews and user-generated content (UGC) solutions, has acquired visual commerce solutions firm Curalate.

The company said the move will help it to create a “powerful offering to lead the growing visual commerce trend” as social shopping becomes an increasingly important factor of e-commerce. According to Bazaarvoice’s Shopper Experience Index, 42 percent of global shoppers say they have made a purchase on social media.

Curalate turns images into shoppable content and currently works with over 1,000 brands and retailers, including Best Buy and Lululemon. Bazaarvoice said the acquisition will “offer brands the ability to leverage inspirational social content to drive sales on social, on websites, and throughout the Bazaarvoice retailer network”.

“Consumers are increasingly referring to images and videos within reviews to be able to buy online with confidence. As shoppers turn to e-commerce in unprecedented numbers due to the Covid-19 outbreak, empowering them with access to this type of UGC has become more important than ever,” Keith Nealon, CEO of Bazaarvoice, said in a statement.

“Our acquisition means brands and retailers can take advantage of the huge consumer appetite for visual content and social shopping. They will benefit from the most engaging and effective ratings and review content, expertly delivered through partnerships with the world’s major social platforms.”

Curalate co-founders Apu Gupta and Nick Shiftan will remain onboard, joining the Bazaarvoice team. “From the outset, Curalate has believed that social media and visual content would shape how consumers shop,” Gupta said. “This vision has been validated by the 1,000+ brands we work with and the hundreds of millions of people who engage with Curalate experiences. Now, by joining Bazaarvoice, we have the opportunity to accelerate what we started while bringing an extraordinary value proposition to brands and retailers globally.”

Photo credit: Jeshoots.com, Pexels