Sosh, the human-powered city concierge app that curates activities and events, has integrated with OpenTable to book tables at restaurants.
The integration is unique, insofar as it allows users to book tables with less information than is traditionally required on the OpenTable platform. The app infers certain data points, such as name and party size, to allow users to simply see what's available and book.
The integration points to the app's successful monetization of its user base.
The recent launch of the Marketplace, for example, has led to results for both the startup and the partner event producers. The Marketplace is where event producers can place related activities, with users able to book directly from the app and website.
The Marketplace is also extending beyond event producers to T&A operators that might want to showcase more curated tours to a local audience outside of any traditional tourist-focused offering.
In order to encourage such operators, the startup offers a branded profile page to curate multiple activities and build a brand on the platform through follows. The profile page features destination information, and an activity stream builds social proof among members so individual operators can benefit from those who have experienced an activity.
Sosh handles marketing, distribution and ticket sales to its users, allowing event producers and tour operators to focus on other important tasks.
This new feature fulfills the brand promise of "life's too short to be bored," while also creating a new revenue channel for event producers and a friction-less way to find and book things to do for users. The company claims that some producers have doubled event bookings in the month the Marketplace has been live.
The OpenTable integration means the offering is now more robust, as users can find something to do and then book a restaurant nearby the event before or after - delivering a complete evening efficiently, likely increasing loyalty and surely ensuring revenue. For those seeking food-specific events, all of those are now available via the platform - including restaurants who want to promote specific tasting menus or timely offerings via their profile pages.
In order to ensure the highest quality events, all submissions are vetted by a human and then placed into the app's city-specific feed, and events are also bookable on mobile - a huge boon to on-the-go locals and visitors alike.
Sosh, which has raised a total of $16.3 million, is now available in Washington DC and Chicago, complementing the already-operational Seattle, San Francisco and New York.
NB: Calendar image courtesy Shutterstock.