The software is central to eBay's campaign to help consumers buy the things they see on television - a concept known as TV commerce. On Monday, the company offered the features as part of its iPad application, letting users browse merchandise from shows and movies. "You'll be able to buy exactly what's there," said Steve Yankovich, who runs mobile services at the San Jose company. The new product works with TV-guide data to show relevant merchandise in eBay's store.
While the first version will only run on the iPad, the company plans to make it available on other tablets and mobile phones, Yankovich said. Getting cooperation from Hollywood may be the biggest challenge for eBay. While the concept of making it easier to buy items shown on television has been discussed for years, the foray into television commerce is part of Chief Executive Officer John Donahoe's turnaround effort for the e-commerce company, which saw sales growth slow over the past decade.
EBay is investing in new products and making acquisitions to attract more users - especially on mobile devices, where the company expects to get $5 billion in payment volume this year. Separately Monday, eBay announced the purchase of Hunch.com for an undisclosed sum. The service recommends products and services to shoppers based on their activity on social networks and other sites. EBay shares fell 3.6 percent to $28.75 at the close in New York amid a broader market slide.
EBay is trying to woo multitaskers - the 86 percent of tablet and mobile-phone users who use their devices while watching television. EBay will rely on its selection of new, used and antique items to serve up relevant products, Yankovich said.
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