Since Tinder’s launch last October, a number of apps have begun to copy their swiping interface, so much so that other dating service companies have made arrangements to use the same technology. Moving your finger effortlessly across the screen to endorse or denounce a person, place, or thing has a seriously addictive quality to it. Developer Giacomo Summa felt that the addictive nature of that simple gesture was very similar to the way many women feel about shoes. Combining swipes with footwear, he created Stylect, a shoe-shopping app for the digital age.

Stylect is simple to use. After signing up with your Facebook account, you may start looking at product pages for shoes from designers like Christian Louboutin, Prada, Louis Vuitton, TopShop, Nike, and more. If you don’t like the shoe, swipe to the left. If you do, swipe to the right. The more you swipe, the more the app learns your taste, and the better the recommendations it will provide you. You can purchase any liked shoes, or add them to your wishlist for later. If the shoes go on sale before you check back in, the app will notify you of the new price.

Since its launch in mid-November of last year, Stylect has grown to offer over 50,000 pairs of shoes. They report that the average user swipes 400 shoes, while some of the more passionate users have swiped as many as 10,000. The company has raised £320,000, and does not appear to be slowing down.

Summa says he wanted to improve e-commerce and help women find the perfect shoes, but with the creation of Stylect, he has also provided a new way for people to discover products through their mobile devices.

Technological advances have made us a mobile society, and while we may not always have our laptops or tablets on hand, a mobile phone is something that few people leave home without. The ability to not just view, but also purchase items from our phones is a phenomenon that should bring more sales to companies, and more comfort and convenience to shoppers.

Via TechCrunch