• by Sara Guaglione , July 26, 2016

BuzzFeed is using its popular newsletter service to dip into ecommerce. The online site is launching the BuzzFeedGift Guide Newsletter and the first one, out this week, is wedding-themed.

“It’s wedding season and people are always looking for great, innovative gifts to wow their friends with,” Dan Oshinsky, director of newsletter for BuzzFeed, told WWD.

The gift guides will go out twice a month and feature five to 10 products. BuzzFeed will post content relevant to each gift guide’s theme.

In a post announcing the launch of the Gift Guide Newsletter, BuzzFeed said each suggested product is selected by its “expert shoppers.”

This week’s post will feature wedding etiquette, “so you don’t just find a great gift to buy but learn more about how to be a great wedding guest,” Oshinsky said.

"With the rise of social media, a bride's wedding day has truly become her red-carpet moment," stated Michelle Myers, publisher and CRO of Brides.

Oshinsky told WWD that the ecommerce newsletters aren’t necessarily part of a larger strategy to drive more traffic or advertising to BuzzFeed. About35% to 40% of subscribers typically open a lifestyle newsletter. Ten to 12 BuzzFeed staffers work on the newsletters.

“[BuzzFeed] used to be just sharing content. Now you can use BuzzFeed to find things, products, gifts that you can give your friends and using us as a recommendation engine,” he said.

“We’re a business and the business end comes into play down-the-road,” he continued. “Right now, the focus is really on launching a great product and figuring out how we can serve our readers.”

Oshinsky did not address whether BuzzFeed gets a commission for each product bought through links in their newsletter.

BuzzFeed has 12 core weekly newsletters, with about 50 editions of newsletters a week. Some, like DIY and Food newsletters, go out two or three times a week.

Next up, BuzzFeed is looking to launch Olympics-related newsletters.

This isn’t the first publication to tap into the illustrious wedding market. In May, Allure and Brides magazines collaborated on a bridal-themed Allure Beauty Box for the summer. The Bridal Box features 10 beauty samples curated by Allure and Brides editors, respectively.