What the Bleep is Blippy?

Thanks to all of the social networking sites out there, you would think that your friends know everything they could possibly know about you.  Think again.  Web entrepreneur Philip Kaplan recently test- launched Blippy, a Twitter-like social networking site that lists users’ credit card purchases.   Where Twitter answers the question “What are you doing?”, Blippy answers the question “What are your friends buying?”

It would seem that the site all but flies in the face of concerns over Internet security and identity theft, but Blippy’s powers that be say that this is not the case.  Most people have several credit cards, but only one can be registered on the site (referred to as the “Blippy Card”), and only the purchases made with that card are listed.  A detailed list of the items bought are posted, but the actual credit card information remains private.  Users create a profile as they would on any other social networking site, and their purchases appear online once the card is used.

“Blip” on Friends’ Radars

Blippy’s launch was met with mixed reviews.  It’s a great way for friends to comparison shop for all kinds of items. It can also make gift shopping a bit easier, since you can view the stores or sites that the user actually likes, and plan to buy them something from there.  The site is also an excellent passive marketing tactic for businesses, as users’ shopping activity lists the stores or sites where they bought items. And like other social networking sites, it’s an easy way to connect with friends.  Ask them for a referral for an item you might be looking for, and take it from there. Or, use it to just take a peek into your friends’ buying habits (wouldn’t that be interesting?)

But others argue that what a person buys with their credit card is their private business, and certainly not open to public scrutiny. In an interview, Kaplan said that the basic idea of Blippy was to help the average consumer comparison shop, and that seems to be the best use for the site.

The Future of Household Budgeting?
It would also make sense to use Blippy as a kind of tracking system for personal spending. For some, seeing their purchases itemized in front of them (not to mention shared with the rest of the world) could be the jolt they need to keep their spending habits in check. Although Blippy would only show the usage of one credit card, it could be a much-needed wake-up call to see just how much the average consumer uses plastic to make purchases.

Regardless, the site is generating some buzz in the web community.  Blippy was launched to a small group of users in early December 2009; by Christmas, a reported $1 million in credit card purchases had been tracked. The site is expected to go live later in 2010—currently, users are logging on to the site by invitation only.  Some of the site’s functions are still under construction. The privacy controls are still being developed, and Kaplan reportedly said that the team is still working on the most effective ways of generating revenue from the site.

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