The Independent announces partnership with Bolt

The Independent has announced a new partnership with checkout technology company Bolt, transforming its eCommerce offering and the way readers shop their favourite brands.

Speaking of the partnership, The Independent says the launch is the first such partnership for a UK news brand and the latest move in The Independent’s growth strategy, as it builds on another year of profit by further diversifying revenue streams and expanding its eCommerce proposition.

This new, integrated shopping service will allow readers to purchase products from editorial reviews of their favourite products in IndyBest directly on The Independent site, says the publisher, without being linked out to external sites. The new partnership is powered by Bolt and works through some simple steps, the publisher outlined:

• Readers discover products via The Independent’s editorial reviews on IndyBest, and can browse on The Independent’s dedicated storefront
• They add available items to their cart and complete their purchases through a native checkout experience on The Independent
• Bolt Checkout Everywhere works behind the scenes with the merchant, which receives the order and ships it to the reader, all without leaving The Independent

Removing friction from the shopping journey allows readers to enjoy a smoother experience, browsing the best products from their favourite brands, based on a trusted news brand’s recommendation, without having to leave The Independent or give data to third parties. The new partnership means that customers can be reached at the peak point of their interest and intent to buy, helping maximise revenues for brands.

Brands available directly through IndyBest through this new checkout technology include Weekday, ARKET, Panda, Facegym, Love Brand & Co. and Molton Brown, with many more to come.

Commenting on the partnership, Sara Recalcati, head of affiliates and eCommerce at The Independent, said: “eCommerce is key for The Independent, and we see ‘storyselling’ - tying editorial reviews into shopping - as the future. We chose Bolt for this partnership because of its flexible, customisable technology, which means we can make the user experience as seamless as possible. By powering the shop with Bolt, we can let our readers make the most of our editorial content, and shop with great brands without leaving The Independent.”

Maju Kuruvillla, CEO of Bolt added: “The Independent is one of the most respected news brands in the world, and we couldn’t be more excited to help bring the power of shopping at the point of inspiration to its website. By enabling consumers to seamlessly shop from a curated collection of brands, Bolt Checkout Everywhere is helping to continue to enhance The Independent’s reader experience.”