Amazon Plans To Shut Down Instagram Rival

(Photo Credit: Amazon Spark)

Bella Breakdown

It didn’t seem like there was anything that could stop Amazon’s online retail domination, but it may have met its match with Instagram. After just a couple of years, the e-commerce’s social network Amazon Spark has shut down.

You may be wondering what Amazon Spark even is and you are not alone. However, the best way to describe it is as Amazon’s version of Instagram. Focused on shopping and retail discovery, Amazon’s social app just didn’t seem to pick up any steam when it came to users.

“We are always experimenting with new experiences to delight customers. We are currently testing #FoundItOnAmazon, a new experience to inspire shoppers looking for fashion styles and home décor. #FoundItOnAmazon is based on the insights from these past experiments. It is currently available to a portion of our customers,” a spokesperson said.

While Spark’s FAQ can still be found online, there seems to be no trace of the app. The reason for that could be due Amazon’s VP of Consumer Engagement, Chee Chew, leaving the company for Twilio in early 2019. Chew was heavily invested in Spark and after he left Amazon may have decided that keeping it alive was no longer worth it.