Genie Shopping
Genie Shopping is a Cambridge-headquartered Google Comparison Shopping Service partner that runs performance-based Shopping Ads on Google and Bing for 1,500+ retailers across 20+ European countries on a CPA model with no setup fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Genie Shopping does
Genie Shopping, legally Staircase 51 Limited, is a Cambridge-headquartered Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) partner operating within the Genie Ventures portfolio. The company runs Shopping Ads on Google and Microsoft Bing on a performance-based CPA model, working alongside — not in place of — a retailer's own Shopping campaigns. Retailers submit a product data feed to specification and an affiliate network connection, after which Genie's bidding technology targets a CPA below the retailer's internal cost-of-sale, generating incremental impression share rather than cannibalizing existing activity. The platform serves 1,500+ retail clients across 20+ European countries and is integrated with 14 major affiliate networks (AWIN, CJ, Impact, Rakuten, Partnerize, Tradedoubler, Webgains, etc.).
The underlying technology is an in-house bidding engine optimized to ROI/CPA targets combined with feed enrichment logic that leverages data pooled across 2,500+ clients to surface niche search terms a retailer's own campaigns miss. The company was among Google's first CSS partners when Google opened Shopping Ads to third-party comparison sites in 2017 and won the Google Shopping Innovation Award the same year. Adjacent lines include the Genie Goals digital marketing agency (launched 2012) serving international brands such as Calvin Klein and Karl Lagerfeld, and the legacy Broadband Genie comparison site. The team of 60+ digital experts operates from a single central Cambridge office under a bootstrapped, founder-owned structure with no disclosed institutional funding.
Genie Shopping firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Genie Shopping
- Legal name
- Staircase 51 Limited
- Website
- https://network.genieshopping.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Genie Shopping is a Cambridge-headquartered Google Comparison Shopping Service partner that runs performance-based Shopping Ads on Google and Bing for 1,500+ retailers across 20+ European countries on a CPA model with no setup fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Genie Shopping industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performance Marketing / Shopping Advertising Technology
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comparison Shopping & Price Discovery Portals (BPAMAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Price Comparison/Aggregator Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAI)
Keywords
Where Genie Shopping is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Genie Shopping business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- CSS Shopping Ads CPA Model: Google receives payment on a CPC basis from Genie Shopping upfront, and Genie Shopping receives a CPA on sales generated. Clients pay a CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) fee for sales driven through their shopping ads. The CSS activity supplements clients' existing Google Shopping efforts and works alongside them without increasing their costs.
- Digital Marketing Agency Services: Genie Goals agency provides digital marketing software and services to retailers, including campaign management and optimization. This represents an additional revenue stream beyond the core CSS offering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Performance-based CPA model with no setup fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Genie Shopping product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Genie Shopping is a Premium Google Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) partner that runs Shopping Ads on Google and Microsoft Bing on behalf of retailers, working alongside their existing shopping activity to drive incremental sales. The service operates on a CPA performance model with no setup fees, requiring clients to provide a product data feed and affiliate network connection. It also includes product feed optimization and enrichment technology to reach niche search terms and boost impression share.
Product overview
Genie Shopping is a single product platform operated by Genie Ventures, a digital marketing company founded in 2008 by a Cambridge University team. The core offering is Genie Shopping itself — a Premium Google Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) partner launched in 2011 that drives incremental sales for retailers via Shopping Ads on Google and Microsoft Bing. The product operates on a CPA performance model with no setup fees, requiring only a product data feed and an affiliate network connection. Genie Shopping is supported within the Genie Ventures portfolio by Broadband Genie (the first dedicated broadband comparison site, launched 2004) and Genie Goals (a digital marketing agency launched in 2012 serving international retail clients). The Genie Methodology underpins all activity, with a dedicated in-house Academy training programme for staff across European languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Broadband Genie: The first dedicated broadband comparison site launched in 2004.
- Genie Goals
- Crowdstorm
- Cafe la Moda
Products and services
- Genie Shopping CSS Service A Premium Google Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) partner that runs Shopping Ads on Google and Microsoft Bing on behalf of retailers, operating on a CPA performance model with no setup fees to drive incremental sales alongside the retailer's existing shopping activity.
- Genie Goals Digital Marketing Agency Award-winning digital marketing agency that brings Genie's proprietary paid search and digital marketing software to retail clients internationally, including fashion and home brands.
- Broadband Genie The market-leading broadband comparison site and the first dedicated broadband comparison service, part of the Genie Ventures portfolio.
Quantifiable outcome
- One in 25 UK retail affiliate transactions goes through Genie Shopping
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Genie Shopping
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Genie Shopping technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature3 records
Genie Shopping partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- GooglecoreGenie Shopping is one of Google's CSS (Comparison Shopping Service) partners. They were one of Google's very first CSS partners in 2017 when Google opened Shopping Ads to comparison shopping sites, and have been with Google every step of the way since launching in 2011. This partnership allows them to run Shopping Ads on Google's platform.
- eBaycoreEarly adopter of Genie Shopping's CSS partner programme. eBay came on board as an early adopter and has seen impressive additional sales alongside their own Shopping efforts.
- AOcoreEarly adopter of Genie Shopping's CSS partner programme. AO came on board as an early adopter and has seen impressive additional sales alongside their own Shopping efforts.
- CurryscoreEarly adopter of Genie Shopping's CSS partner programme. Currys came on board as an early adopter and has seen impressive additional sales alongside their own Shopping efforts.
- ASOScoreEarly adopter of Genie Shopping's CSS partner programme. ASOS came on board as an early adopter and has seen impressive additional sales alongside their own Shopping efforts.
- APMA (Affiliate & Partner Marketing Association)coreGenie Shopping supports the APMA as a trade body. They participate in events like State of the Affiliate Nation. APMA sets codes of conduct and best-practice guidelines for the affiliate channel.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Genie Shopping competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- AWIN: Global affiliate marketing network that is both a partner and an ecosystem participant for Genie Shopping; AWIN's affiliate platform enables Genie's CSS tracking and represents a comparable alternative channel for retailers.
Direct peers
- Croud: Digital marketing agency with a tech-enabled managed service model serving global retailers; directly comparable to Genie Goals agency arm and increasingly overlapping on Shopping Ads activation.
- WBS (Webshop Buying Service): European CSS partner and shopping comparison service operating in multiple European markets; directly comparable in business model, technology stack, and retailer client base.
- PriceRunner: UK and Nordic price comparison platform (owned by Klarna) operating as a CSS partner, directly comparable to Genie Shopping in the comparison shopping and Shopping Ads space.
- Kelkoo Group: European CSS partner and price comparison platform operating across multiple EU countries, directly competing with Genie Shopping for the same Google CSS partner allocations and serving the same retailer base.
- Idealo: Leading European price comparison portal owned by Axel Springer that also operates as a Google CSS partner; competes with Genie Shopping in shopping ad bidding and feed-driven comparison commerce across Europe.
- Brainlabs: Tech-led digital media agency operating Shopping Ads, paid search, and programmatic for major retailers using proprietary bidding technology — directly comparable to Genie Goals agency arm.
Broad incumbents
- iProspect: Large global performance media agency operating Shopping Ads, paid search, and affiliate at scale for enterprise retailers; competes for the same enterprise retailer wallets across the same product categories.
Regional players
- Kelkoo Shopping (France) / Twenga legacy: French-focused CSS and price comparison platform serving French retailers; comparable offering but primarily regional rather than pan-European like Genie Shopping.
Emerging players
- Crealogix: Digital marketing and CSS partner focused on European e-commerce retailers with comparable feed-based shopping ad technology, though smaller in scale than Genie Shopping.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Genie Shopping social profiles
Digital presenceGenie Shopping financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Genie Shopping leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Genie Shopping funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Genie Shopping M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Genie Shopping
What does Genie Shopping do?
Genie Shopping is a Premium Google Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) partner that runs Shopping Ads on Google and Microsoft Bing on behalf of retailers, working alongside their existing shopping activity to drive incremental sales. The service operates on a CPA performance model with no setup fees, requiring clients to provide a product data feed and affiliate network connection. It also includes product feed optimization and enrichment technology to reach niche search terms and boost impression share.
Is Genie Shopping a public or private company?
Genie Shopping is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Genie Shopping founded?
Genie Shopping was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Genie Shopping based?
Genie Shopping is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Genie Shopping make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. CSS Shopping Ads CPA Model is the primary driver. The others are digital Marketing Agency Services.
Who are Genie Shopping's main competitors?
AWIN is listed as an others. Direct peers are Croud, WBS (Webshop Buying Service), PriceRunner, Kelkoo Group, Idealo and Brainlabs. iProspect is listed as a broad incumbent. Kelkoo Shopping (France) / Twenga legacy is listed as a regional player. Crealogix is listed as an emerging player.
Does Genie Shopping have an API?
No public API is recorded for Genie Shopping.
What industry is Genie Shopping in?
Genie Shopping's product category is Performance Marketing / Shopping Advertising Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAAAJ, Comparison Shopping & Price Discovery Portals, with a secondary code of CRAFAAAI, Price Comparison/Aggregator Generalist Marketplaces.