Shopping via SMS 19 Apr 2007

The New York Times has an interesting article on ShopText - a system that lets people buy products instantly using text messages, thereby eliminating the need to go to a store or even visit a website:

"For instance, a woman seeing an ad for a pocketbook in a magazine can order it on the spot simply by sending the text code found beside the item through her cellphone...At the center of the technology is ShopText, a small company in New York that takes the orders, charges the consumer's credit card and ships out the merchandise. To use the system, a consumer must first place a phone call to ShopText to set up an account, specifying a shipping address and card account. After that, all purchases can be made by thumb."

[via Emergic]