Local Internet Shopping Service Experiences 300% Growth in 2006

Furniture World Magazine

StepUp Commerce, Inc., an Internet local shopping service, announced that roughly 5,000 independent retail stores nationwide subscribe to its technology platform to connect consumers who are shopping online with local stores that carry the products they’re looking for. According to Kendall Fargo, Founder and CEO of StepUp Commerce, StepUp is the largest aggregator of local product information from independent retailers, and is experiencing consistent growth of 50% each month since the beginning of 2006, resulting in nearly 300% growth in the number of retailers now paying to use StepUp’s service to attract local online shoppers.   “Our research indicates that Internet marketing by local businesses has not kept pace with the changing shopping behavior of consumers, who increasingly turn to the Internet to research products and services before buying locally,” said Mr, Booth, vice president and program director - Interactive Local Media, The Kelsey Group. “StepUp is making significant progress in helping local retailers to capitalize on this market opportunity by enabling them to build an online merchandising presence.”   Recent studies show that 86% of Internet shoppers prefer to make their purchases locally. As more consumers use the Internet to research products they plan to purchase, it is critical for independent retailers to let them know where to buy. StepUp allows independent retailers to take advantage of this key consumer trend by making it easy for retailers to showcase their in-store products on sites like Google and SuperPages.com. StepUp’s rich data helps these consumer destination sites provide a better local shopping experience for their customers.   "The StepUp program is an incredible value,” said Jack Baillio, Jack A. Baillio's Electronic & Appliance Connection. “I signed up, told them the brands I carry, and my products were immediately syndicated to Google and other top shopping sites. Now I have customers in my store saying they found my products on the Internet. This success has made me reconsider the value of newspaper and Yellow Page ads."   StepUp builds individual Web pages with detailed information on the specific products available at each store. StepUp then distributes this information from each retailer to Google, SuperPages.com, and other Web destinations, creating local ad inventory based on the products retailers carry. Product information is automatically updated, and there is no manual setup required.    “As the largest aggregator of local product information from independent retailers, we help them harness the power of the Internet to attract more local shoppers to their stores,” said Kendall Fargo.  “StepUp’s growth is a testament to the value retailers see in our technology platform and syndication outlets, and we remain committed to delivering a service that helps them grow their business.”   About StepUp Commerce, Inc. Headquartered in San Francisco, StepUp is a leading local shopping services company that helps retailers use the Internet to display their in-store products. StepUp’s mission is to expose local inventory information from retailers of all sizes to consumers wherever they are browsing products online. StepUp is the largest aggregator of independent retailer product information on the Web.   More information on StepUp’s products and services can be found at www.stepup.com.