Thumb is a quickly growing mobile app built on the ingenious concept of opinion polling. Instant opinion polling is like Kim Kardashian putting a new bikini photo on Twitter because she’s digging for compliments from her slobbery fans. With Thumb, you give and ask for opinions on content posted by you or from your friends:
The original vision for Thumb was focused on products and the influence that family and friends have on your purchasing decisions. Now that Thumb boasts 1.2 million users, product-centered opinion is leaking its way in to the mobile app, with the launch of the new Holiday Shopping category. With the busiest shopping weeks of 2012 in front of us, Thumb is seeking to capitalize on user engagement as related to goods and services.
Right now, the focus seems to be on data collection. Thumb users have been given a way to discuss what they’re planning to buy for friends, family, and themselves this holiday season.
The app has a quick opinion turnaround, allowing mobile shoppers to ask questions on the spot and get between 50 and 100 responses right away. Thumb can also target opinions based on age and gender, providing a wealth of demographic-specific data.
Once Thumb finishes testing product conversations, they could potentially partner with brands for sponsored items, promote with brand partners, or catalog products by location and price.
The product function could prove to be a significant cash cow for Thumb in the future. It’s interesting that instead of jumping right in to product promotion and revenue, they’re testing in practice with their user base and doing their demographic homework at the greatest mobile lab available: Holiday shopping season.
It looks like Thumbs has their eyes on the “long con,” and while some users may bemoan the increased product focus in the near future, we don’t think the mobile app will lose any steam.
Thumb is currently available on iOS and Android for free. Get it now before Black Friday and give it a whirl!
