A year after first appearing at FinovateStartup (Finovate 2009 video here; FinovateStartup 2009 video here.) , BillShrink.com has doubled in size, now with 22 employees, and more than 450,000 unique visitors per month (see chart below).
In January 2010, it launched a parallel service for small businesses, to compare business credit cards. And soon it will expand to certificates of deposit and corporate wireless plans.
BillShrink believes that its highly personalized vertical searches is increasingly desired by consumers and isn’t likely to be replicated by others. The site is sticky, because users can save their search info and preferences and BillShrink will continue looking for a better deal. When one is found, users receive an email, which brings them back to the site.
BillShrink believes that its highly personalized vertical searches is increasingly desired by consumers and isn’t likely to be replicated by others. The site is sticky, because users can save their search info and preferences and BillShrink will continue looking for a better deal. When one is found, users receive an email, which brings them back to the site.
Unlike traditional search, BillShrink’s value-add is calculations based on actual user data. For example, the it considers the user’s actual gas mileage and location and then calculates the optimal place to fill the tank. Likewise, BillShrink can compare reward credit cards based on your actual charging history and rewards preferences.
The company has not needed to raise any additional capital this year as it continues to roll out a new vertical every few months. BillShrink is targeting all “high wallet personal finance categories” according to Peter Pham, CEO.
The company has not needed to raise any additional capital this year as it continues to roll out a new vertical every few months. BillShrink is targeting all “high wallet personal finance categories” according to Peter Pham, CEO.
The next vertical rolls out May 26, but Pham was tight-lipped as to what it would be, other than to hint that it would be in the consumer realm.
Pham cites the company’s belief that users search expectations have grown. He believes that they want something better than Google’s mish-mash of results. BillShrink meets those expectations by providing an apples-to-apples comparison tailored precisely to the user, and it doesn’t feel like a random advertisement.
Pham cites the company’s belief that users search expectations have grown. He believes that they want something better than Google’s mish-mash of results. BillShrink meets those expectations by providing an apples-to-apples comparison tailored precisely to the user, and it doesn’t feel like a random advertisement.
BillShrink.com page for business
Traffic chart from Compete.com
anthonyuchung 