Encore AI Search Engine Consolidates Fragmented Secondhand Market
Two former tech engineers launch Encore, an AI-powered search engine that aggregates secondhand items across platforms like Poshmark and eBay. The Y Combinator startup aims to eliminate the friction of hunting for specific vintage or used goods online.
Former Apple and Twitter engineers Alex Ruber and Parth Chopra are launching Encore, an AI-powered search engine designed to aggregate secondhand items from across the internet. Currently part of Y Combinator's first-ever fall batch, the startup addresses the frustration of sifting through fragmented platforms like Depop, Mercari, eBay, and Poshmark to find specific products. The founders conceptualized the tool after struggling to locate specific items, such as a distinctive jacket from the TV show "The Bear," without spending hours on social media.
Encore leverages large language model technology to understand highly specific and natural language queries. Users can search for exact outfits from television episodes or use partial prompts like "Outfit inspo for" to receive auto-populated suggestions. This approach helps users understand the search engine's capabilities while avoiding the intimidation of a blank search bar.
The startup draws inspiration from the founders' personal backgrounds, including childhood memories of Sunday flea markets and a shared passion for finding hidden gems in the circular economy. By bringing these disparate secondhand resources into a single, smart interface, Encore transforms a time-consuming scavenger hunt into a streamlined shopping experience.