Growing Up Thrifting
Alex Ruber practically grew up thrifting. His mother, an immigrant who escaped communist Romania and moved to Italy, then Canada, often brought him along to secondhand stores and Sunday flea markets when he was a child. Together, mother and son would hunt for unique items. "I remember getting my first piano literally from a flea market," he says. “For me, it was like a treasure hunt.”
The Birth of Encore
Fast forward 20 years, and Ruber, a former Apple software engineer now based in San Francisco, is the cofounder of a new AI-powered search engine platform designed to replicate the thrill of thrifting, but online. The site, called Encore, aggregates items from hundreds of resale websites and helps shoppers find esoteric and unique items—the proverbial needles in the haystack. What makes Encore different is that the site doesn’t just search for terms on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, but rather it asks the user to describe what they’re looking for in the same way they would describe it to a friend.
Complex Searches
Thanks to its large language model technology, Encore lets shoppers run really specific searches, with queries such as: “dress like the one Carrie Bradshaw wore in season 6, episode 12, in a size 0 or 2.” Or “mid-century modern dining table in walnut finish but it has to have leaves to accommodate eight guests or more.” Shoppers can edit their search and type a follow-up prompt like “rectangular table only” or “under $1,500.” And if the site draws a blank, the user can toggle a button and search for new items.
The Goal
The ultimate goal? “To become the Perplexity of online shopping,” says Ruber, who cofounded Encore with former Twitter and Asana engineer, Parth Chopra.
Shopping Spree
Everyone who loves to buy things secondhand has a reason for doing so. Some are looking for a bargain, others want to reduce the carbon footprint associated with big polluters like the fast-fashion and fast-furniture industries. Others yet enjoy the lower barrier to entry for luxury items. As a result, the global resale market is booming.
Encore’s Progress
Encore launched in June and has 50,000 searches per month, with 25 percent month-on-month growth for searches. It is one of many companies trying to make secondhand shopping easier and more fun by providing a more refined user experience than the search aggregators that have come before.
Technical Details
Encore is using a blend of GPT-4 and its own computer model, which is a fine-tuned version of GPT that the company trained on some fashion and ecommerce datasets so it could recognize various brands, styles, and aesthetics. People using the free version get 30 to 40 results per search; chronic shoppers willing to pay $36 a year (there are currently a few hundred of them) get twice as many results per search and a few other perks. But unless your query is overly convoluted (think "boxy bomber jacket, with elastics on sleeves, and make it like the one Tom Cruise wore in Top Gun 2), Ruber says free users will get the same—albeit fewer—results as paying customers.
Conclusion
Encore is revolutionizing the way we shop secondhand online. By providing a platform that allows users to describe what they’re looking for in their own words, the site is making it easier to find unique and esoteric items. With its large language model technology and fine-tuned computer model, Encore is poised to become the go-to destination for shoppers looking for something special.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes Encore different from other search aggregators?
A: Encore doesn’t just search for terms on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, but rather it asks the user to describe what they’re looking for in the same way they would describe it to a friend.
Q: Can I use Encore for free?
A: Yes, Encore offers a free version that allows users to search for items and get 30 to 40 results per search.
Q: What are the benefits of paying for Encore?
A: Paying customers get twice as many results per search and a few other perks, such as access to a larger database of items.
Q: Is Encore only for fashion items?
A: No, Encore can be used to search for a wide range of items, including furniture, electronics, and more.
