Zulily, Facebook Partner Up For Messaging Service

Zulily Inc (NASDAQ: ZU) stock bounced up Wednesday, after it was mentioned by CEO Marck Zuckerberg at Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB)'s developers conference that it would be one of Facebook's partners for an upcoming business communications project.

Zulily, a Seattle-based Web retailer of women's apparel, is among two initial Facebook partners in a plan to provide business customers a personalized service via Facebook Messenger, according to multiple reports from the conference.

Facebook's other initial partner in the effort is privately held Los Angeles start-up Everlane, also a Web-only apparel retailer. Moreover, earlier this week Facebook launched a payments function for its messaging service.

Zulily shares are down around 43 percent year-to-date. The company has suffered in part due to delayed shipping times. Recently, while speaking to the Wall Street Journal, the company said it plans to place a new emphasis on building up its inventory.

Shares of Zulily, which traded as high as $13.86 on Wednesday, closed up $0.09 (0.7 percent) at $13.11.