Enabling customers to make the most of their time while their car is being serviced, independent Porsche dealership Autofarm recently began offering a complimentary travel service to and from a nearby luxury outlet mall.

Rather than waiting out the four-hour car service at the garage, Autofarm will arrange for customers to be driven the four miles to and from Bicester Village to enjoy its outlet boutiques and restaurants. According to Autofarm, the service is designed to cater to the growing number of female Porsche owners, especially mothers. Autofarm’s Workshop Manager, Robin Bartholomew explains: “Getting the car serviced often falls to the lady of the house. Children understandably get bored waiting, but this provides an opportunity to go somewhere suitable, rather than being trapped in a car showroom or workshop waiting room.”

It takes little tread off Autofarm's tires to offer the service, which provides a substantial value to their customers and is a great example of what our sister site would call a brand butler offering—something extended to consumers that helps make their lives easier and more enjoyable. How can your brand drive customers to new heights of satisfaction...? ;-) (Related: Hotel perks for Mercedes drivers – Fiat offers electric bikes as loaner vehicles — Volvo dealership loans bikes instead of cars.)

Website: www.autofarm.co.uk
Contact: porsche@autofarm.co.uk

Regular Springwise readers are already well-acquainted with the concept of product stories and the way they can enhance the value of virtually any good. Similar to the way the Daily Grommet shares the story of one product each day in its curated marketplace, so Itizen provides a place for artists, gift-givers and owners of any item to share and track its story over time.

Minnesota-based Itizen aims to let anyone associated with a particular keepsake, gift or interesting thing tell, share and follow its life story. Those interested in beginning a story for a particular good start by affixing an Itizen TRACKit tag to it—both stick-on and sew-on versions are available. Then, they can either type in the tag's alphanumeric code or scan its QR code for automatic connection with its record. There, they can share the item's story—where it came from, how they got it, what made them want it, and whatever other details seem relevant. Such stories can be made either private or public; either way, subsequent owners or borrowers of the product can add to it later and those with its code can see where it's been. Everyone who adds to the product's story, meanwhile, gains Itizenship Points, which ultimately can be used for free product giveaways.

Now in beta, Itizen seeks to forge partnerships with independent artists, crafters or retailers that facilitate selling, swapping, exchanging and sharing interesting things. As it moves out of beta—a full launch is scheduled for Aug. 1—it aims to include features specifically tailored to small retailers and to develop a mobile version. One to get involved in...? (Related: Tracking & tracing fashion brands' product stories — Columbia reuses shipping boxes, tracks their stories — Yak down: luxury yarn with a story and a cause.)

Website: www.itizen.com
Contact: hello@itizen.com

Spotted by: Petz Scholtus

Back in January we covered Blippy, the Twitter-like site that lets users automatically publish their shopping transactions in real time for all the world to see. Now targeting the same space is Swipely, a Rhode Island-based venture that's planning to do much the same thing.

Currently in invitation-only beta, Swipely aims to “turn purchases into conversations,” in the site's own words. Toward that end, it has developed a secure platform for consumers to share their purchase experiences online. Users begin by signing up and importing purchases from their credit or debit card accounts; email can also be used for purchases made online. Users remain in complete control of the purchases they share. For those they do, they can rate the experience and add comments or photos. Many purchases are automatically geolocated to specific store locations, and Swipely supports product details as well by integrating catalogs and menus from more than 250,000 retail and restaurant locations. The result, it says, is that users can start conversations around “specific outfits, meals, songs, movies, gadgets and millions of other products.” Upon seeing a compelling new purchase, other users can click to see the venue on the map and add the item to their own wish list; for music, movies and apps, meanwhile, they can just press play on select purchases to hear a song preview, see a video trailer or browse app screen shots. Swipely places a strong emphasis on protecting consumer privacy, it says, and has passed reviews and audits from leading third-party security and privacy organizations.

After a recent security glitch at Blippy, it's not entirely clear how concerned users will be about protecting their purchase information. Still, there's no doubt the potential of social shopping is compelling, particularly when combined with a twist of nowism. Another one to watch!

Website: www.swipely.com
Contact: business@swipely.com

Spotted by: LA Times via Jim Stewart

The storefront apps are coming fast and furious. No sooner had we finished our story about Payvment's tool for adding sales capabilities to Facebook pages than we came across Vendr, which effects the same transformation on web pages of any kind.

Not to be confused with VendrTV, Vendr seamlessly adds storefront capabilities to any website or blog with just a few lines of code. It does that by adding a “Store” button; when clicked, it dims the background page and overlays a brightly lit store that provides customers with an engaging and fluid shopping experience. Both physical and digital goods can be sold through Vendr stores, which are integrated with both Paypal and Google Checkout. Multiple photos can reflect the options customers choose, and a central dashboard gives owners a view of all store activities. Inventory management options are available, as are alerts when a particular product runs low. Vendr users can also create coupons for storewide, category or specific product use, with options for expiration dates or other restrictions. The creation of California-based Boxador, Vendr is priced ranging from free for up to five products to USD 29.95 per month or USD 299.50 per year for up to 250 products; additional product packs are also available.

Once the domain of large vendors and specialized sites, built-in e-commerce capabilities are now coming to the enterprising masses. Is your brand ready for the new competition...? (Related: Avon takes to Facebook with social sales boutique — An online store in 60 seconds.)

Website: www.vendr.com
Contact: info@vendr.com

Spotted by: swissmiss

It's a well-known fact that the more steps a shopper must take in order to make a purchase, the less likely that purchase is. The same is true for shoppers on Facebook, of course, which is why San Francisco-based Payvment has developed a tool that lets them buy from vendors without ever leaving the site.

Now in beta, Payvment turns companies' Facebook fan pages from marketing platforms into sales platforms. Specifically, its Facebook app gives vendors everything they need to create a storefront on the social networking site, including a built-in, full-featured admin area. Installation takes 15 minutes, the company says; once it's done, Facebook users can shop and make purchases from that store without needing to leave Facebook. Each TRUSTe-certified storefront can be added to an unlimited number of Facebook pages. Integrated product search enables discovery of the store's items from across Facebook, and a universal shopping cart lets customers complete their purchases from any Payvment-powered storefront on the site. Payvment currently supports sales in more than 20 currencies with automatic conversion; PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover are all accepted. Other features include automated inventory control, email receipts, storefront comment capabilities and instant discounts for Facebook fans. Payvment is free for participants in its public beta program.

Since Payvment launched in November, more than 20,000 businesses and individuals have started to sell goods on Facebook and over 500,000 Facebook users have shopped for products in stores using the Payvment app. Businesses large and small: time to venture into the social shopping waters yourself...? (Related: Avon takes to Facebook with social sales boutique — An online store in 60 seconds.)

Website: www.payvment.com
Contact: support@payvment.com

Spotted by: Michael Corrales

It's no longer uncommon to see vending machines used to sell fragrances, bathing suits and shoes—or even farm produce and health foods. Not until recently, however, had we seen one installed at a butcher's shop—and a 100-year-old shop, at that.

With three stores in Northern Spain, Izarzugaza has been operating for four generations in more or less the traditional way. Not long ago the store began selling online, however, and delivering to customers as far-flung as Segovia and Madrid. Even more interesting, though, is that it has installed a vending machine outside its Mundaka shop that sells a variety of meats, sausages, sandwiches and other goods around the clock. Products sold within the machine vary with the season, so that summer offerings might include pasta salads while the emphasis is more on meatballs and sausages in the wintertime.

Izarzugaza is also notable for the fact that it has installed in-shop technology that gives customers the option of ordering via touch-screen. The primary benefit? The technology recognizes multiple languages—a useful capability for vendors located in popular tourist destinations, the way Izarzugaza is—including Castilian, Euskara and English, with French and German coming soon, according to El Mundo.

None of which, of course, is to say that technology is a panacea for any small, traditional business. Well-applied, however—particularly so as to introduce new convenience for consumers—it can set a company apart. Butcher shops and delicatessens around the world: how about you...?

Website: www.izarzugaza.com
Contact: info@izarzugaza.com

Spotted by: Leticia Pérez Prieto

The market for prescription eyewear has traditionally been dominated by high prices, little innovation and a few large competitors. That's why we've seen online discounters emerge, and it's also why a young new startup has set its sights on the industry—so to speak—with a paradigm-busting model that aims to combine independent design, “buy one, give one” generosity and some long-overdue pricing transparency.

Whereas prescription glasses from most high-end optical shops tend to be USD 300 and up, Philadelphia-based Warby Parker offers its own, in-house designs through the mail for USD 95 including delivery. Eliminating the licensing fees charged by designer brands and manufacturing houses is how Warby Parker cuts out much of that cost differential; instead, it creates its own boutique-quality designs. Its first, vintage-inspired collection includes 27 limited-run glasses styles plus—intriguingly—one monocle. Then, too, there are the anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings, for which most optical shops charge extra; at Warby Parker, those features come standard—as does UV protection. Rather than maintain a physical store, meanwhile, Warby Parker gives consumers two ways to try its frames on: with its virtual try-on feature using an uploaded photo, or via its free, 7-day home trial of up to five styles at a time. All shipping, try-ons and even returns are free. Perhaps best of all, however, is that for each pair of glasses it sells, Warby Parker donates to nonprofit Restoring Vision, which then donates a pair of glasses to someone in need.

Currently, Warby Parker sells only single vision lenses. It also serves only the United States. Time to strike a little independent-minded transparency terror into the high-end optical shops in *your* part of the world...? (Related: Reading glasses for baby boomers — Buy a tie, give a child a school uniform.)

Website: www.warbyparker.com
Contact: help@warbyparker.com

Spotted by: Alejandro Chouza

There's something undeniably appealing about the immediacy of giving and receiving gifts by text message, and we've already seen a few examples—most notably, Dutch cadeaucode.nl and Boston-focused KangoGift. Recently we came across one more: LA-based Giiv, which offers a similar service for U.S. users nationwide.

Now in beta, Giiv lets users surprise each other with real-time tokens of affection anywhere, anytime. Gift-givers simply browse through the site's gallery of gift options—currently, available selections include flowers, Amazon gift cards, movie tickets and spa services, among others. Once they find something suitable, they enter the recipient's mobile number along with a little note, fill out their payment information and then send. Giiv then sends that person a text message including a Giiv code that can be redeemed at a participating store or online retailer. Giiv adds a USD 0.99 processing fee for the service; a free iPhone app is also available.

Though Giiv doesn't currently accept international orders, it plans to do so in the future. Time to bring a little nowism to gift-giving in your part of the world...? (Related: Buy a (real) beer for a Facebook friend.)

Website: www.giiv.com
Contact: www.giiv.com/contact

Spotted by: Murray Orange