There’s nothing worse than buying something you’ve dreamt about for years, only to find that it was not quite what you expected it to be. When you can’t try something out, you are left to making an evaluation and a decision based on what you read and what people tell you. That’s all you’ve got. With some things, like stereo systems and electronics, there may be a few places still left that have demo units to try out, but in the age of online shopping, those establishments have become far and few between.
Bleeker St – the app, turns the tables on making poor purchases by bringing people together to check out brands they love. It allows you to scan the user community offerings to see if anyone is hosting a demo party for something you may be interested in, sign up to attend, and then enjoy as the item is demoed and used. You can even try it out yourself and there is no pressure to buy.
I first had my doubts about such an app, but when I looked up a few of the demos being hosted I realized that this app was a win-win for consumers and businesses alike – businesses don’t have to hassle with a brick and mortar establishment and consumers can come together, not only to get in on demos of a product, but to meet up with folks in their own community.
The app is free to download, and creating an account is very easy; however, I ran into some issues trying to provide further details to allow me to find demos being held close by and to host them. It took a few tries and then I was all set up.
Once you are legit in the system, all you have to do is search for items or categories you are in the market for, or maybe just have an interest in. You can book to attend a demo or you can host one. The more you host, the better, as you can then collect more points which allow you to then attend demos. If you don’t have enough points to book and attend demos, you can buy them from within the app.
The interface is sleek and well designed, just as you would expect from something called Bleeker St. I found the search tool to be efficient and I was able to find some interesting demos for a few furniture items I needed. I think it would be cool to be able to get your friend in on a demo by sharing a few from within the app, and having them be invited to join Bleeker St.
With what it currently offers, though, Bleeker St is a cool app that brings the showroom to you, the real user, and helps you decide on what’s best for you through an experience that puts the item front and center so you can evaluate it before taking the plunge.
Rating: 9.5/ 10
Price: Free
