Glimpse, a platform that enables consumer-facing brands to
place products in luxury short-term rentals and resorts, has raised $6.2
million in seed funding.
The investment was led by GSR Ventures, Origin Ventures, Y
Combinator and angel investors including Eventbrite co-founders Julia and Kevin
Hartz.
Founded in 2020, Glimpse is creating a “try-before-you-buy”
experience by allowing consumers to use products in categories such as bedding,
electronics, kitchen and home fitness while they are staying in a rental
property or at a resort.
Each product is linked with a QR code guests can use to
purchase the product.
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Rental hosts and resorts earn a commission on sales and
can also make money by “implementing a higher level of product staging and
through the increased sharing of product information.”
Glimpse says it is currently working with more than 15
brands, including mattress company Purple, air purifier Molekule and Lyric
handheld massager, and more than 8,000 short-term rentals in 40 states. Brands
pay Glimpse a subscription fee to participate, and the startup also earns money
through product sales.
“Short-term
rentals provide the perfect environment for customer engagement, as guests can
truly experience these products in their intended setting,” says Akash Raju, co-founder
and CEO of Glimpse.
“Glimpse gives
brands phenomenal access to potential customers and provides immediate ROI on
brand awareness and conversions.”
Glimpse coordinates shipments of products, product placement setup and marketing experiences such as product
information in guest welcome messages and post-stay retargeting.
“With significant
demand from brands trying to break through the noise and a pipeline full of
potential partners, Glimpse is shifting the paradigm of where, when and how
consumer-facing product companies are connecting with key audiences and turning
them into long-term brand ambassadors,” says Yuechen Zhao, partner at GSR
Ventures.
Says Ignacio
Pellican, director of operations at Manor Vail Lodge: “The process is simple,
and the products are aligned with our customers who expect nothing but luxury. The
execution is easy; from the product requests on the website to the delivery and
set up. Guests love the massage gun!”
Another startup creating a retail environment within rentals
is The Host Co. The company, which raised a
seed round of $1.85 million earlier this month, enables hosts to set up a digital
store within their rentals, offering items such as artwork, snacks, pre-stocked
pantries and local artisan products.
A third startup, Mount,
is tailored to hosts that want to offer equipment such as bikes, scooters
and skis for their guests.