ShopLocal Brings Web-to-Store Marketing to Retailers

Furniture World Magazine

All retailers, even those without an Internet presence, can reach local shoppers who use the Internet with the introduction of ShopLocal.com, an online resource that allows shoppers to research local specials and sale items at stores close to home. CrossMedia Services, Inc., a leading provider of web-based marketing solutions for national and local retailers, is launching ShopLocal and its web site, http://www.shoplocal.com , with a nationwide network of co-branded ShopLocal websites, initially including nearly 150 Gannett Co., Inc., Knight Ridder, Inc. (NYSE: KRI) and Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB) websites. Retailers will be able to connect with shoppers through inStore.com, from American Online, which features a link to ShopLocal. "For retailers, ShopLocal is an extremely efficient way to reach local shoppers with targeted sales promotions," said Brian Hand, CrossMedia chief executive officer. "ShopLocal.com gives retailers access to millions of shoppers who use the Internet to gather information online but prefer to buy at a local store." Retail is moving toward cross-channel shopping, or online searching for offline shopping, a trend the Wall Street Journal recently featured. ShopLocal is the first to capitalize on that trend and offers retailers a way to take advantage of it. ShopLocal uses a zip-code search engine that allows users to find stores within a specific radius. Retailers can use ShopLocal.com to find shoppers who search by product category, store or brand name. The site is updated daily to reflect current sales. It also allows consumers to create personal shopping lists online that they can print and bring to stores. Consumers can receive e-mail alerts for sale items and favorite stores. ShopLocal is based on the same material retailers use for sales and promotions, such as circulars, catalogs, run-of-press ads and direct mail, which makes it easy for them to take advantage of the cost efficiencies ShopLocal offers. ShopLocal enables retailers to extend the reach of their promotional messages through a powerful online media network that spans multiple points of consumer contact, including some of the nation's most popular and highly trafficked newspaper web sites. "ShopLocal offers retailers of all sizes an equal shot at reaching local shoppers," said Hand. "The strength of ShopLocal is its breadth of content it offers consumers. "For retailers, the beauty of it is they can use ShopLocal's power without investing a lot of time, effort or money. And for retailers with an existing web site, it's a strategic complement to their online marketing presence," said Hand. By offering online research for offline shopping, ShopLocal shortens the distance between retailers and consumers. By using ShopLocal, retailers have another source to give consumers up-to-date information before they go shopping. Hand said ShopLocal will add retailers on a regular basis and expects to announce additional network partners such as portals, online directories and other newspaper publishers. About the Company: CrossMedia Services, Inc. is the industry expert on web-to-store marketing and the leading provider of turnkey solutions for brick and mortar retailers, catalog retailers and industrial catalogers that enable the targeting of promotions to shoppers via the Internet. CrossMedia Services' solutions transform printed promotions (such as sales circulars, catalogs, run-of-press ads, direct mail, etc.) into an interactive web format, versioned on variables such as location or type of shopper. These solutions leverage the creative layout in print promotions, incorporate feature-rich functionality and integrate with extensive analytics about shopper pre-purchase behavior. Gannett Co., Inc., Tribune Company, and Knight Ridder, Inc., are partners in CrossMedia Services, Inc. and other joint ventures to provide consumers access to great online products such as CareerBuilder.com, Cars.com and Apartments.com.