RETAIL’S SAVIOR?

the apps of torontobased startup tulip help physical stores by enabling staff to access product and customer information instantly and close a sale on the spot. Clients include saks and toys “r” us. Ceo Ali Asaria thinks tulip—whose 2017 revenue Forbes estimates at $15 million—might help rescue brick-and-mortar retail.

Give us an example of Tulip in action.

We saw three main pain points with moms shopping for strollers at toys “r” us. one: “is this the right model for me?” two: “What if you don’t have the right model instore—can i get it shipped home?” three: “is it cheaper at a competitor?” sales associates can now pull up prices from amazon and a bunch of others.

Do stores really want to tell customers they can get a product cheaper elsewhere?

toys “r” us wanted to say, “if you’re worried it’s cheaper at amazon, i can match that price for you.”

What about retailers that can’t match?

they can turn that part off.

One day you’d like to be in industries such as medicine. How big can Tulip be?

We’re focused on an eventual $100 billion market size, so we’re thinking very, very big. the theme: What will the future of work and software look like when every worker has a tablet or phone in their hand?