Many people wondered when the digital world would propel commerce to its next stage. That moment is here.
Until now, digital commerce operated a lot like its analog equivalent. In the past, you’d read something about a product in a newspaper or see an ad on the side of a bus. If you remembered the product, you’d take time to go to a store to buy it. In a similar way, commerce online contained these decisions and delays: Someone would read a review online and then navigate away to a digital store to buy the product. Of course, we all know what happens: We forget to buy the product we were intrigued by. Or we click away—and then get distracted.
That’s why our launch today is so thrilling. Today, Bolt is proud to announce that The Independent, one of the most respected news and media brands in the world, is launching Checkout Everywhere on its website. Checkout Everywhere will allow The Independent’s readers to purchase products without having to click away to a new site. They’ll be able to buy the product from right inside the review, right at the point of inspiration. In addition, The Independent has launched a dedicated storefront section with collections of their reviewed items, covering categories like home & lifestyle and men’s and women’s fashions.
Since Checkout Everywhere connects The Independent directly with its readers, The Independent can retain the relationship with its audience and engage with them in the future. Behind the scenes, Bolt will handle order processing, fulfillment, shipment, customer support, and payments, including the gamut of top payment service providers like Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Checkout Everywhere has shown remarkable results for publishers over the years. Publishers who put the product through its paces saw twice the conversion, 40 percent higher commission, and twice the revenue, when compared to standard affiliate models. And if you think about it, that makes perfect sense: The easier you make it for customers to fulfill a purchase at the point of inspiration, the more customers will convert.
Checkout Everywhere is another step in Bolt’s mission to democratize commerce and help our retail partners compete against the biggest players in the industry. The integrated shopping experience will reinforce The Independent’s trusted brand, and all powered by Bolt’s commitment to security, simplicity, and speed. No distractions. No link outs. No cumbersome checkout. Just a seamless reading and buying experience, with all the trust and speed that Bolt provides and the critical eye that The Independent brings to its readership.
