TheFind Introduces Local Shopping

Innovative “Web 2.0” shopping site TheFind has introduced local shopping today on its site. According to the press release, the site’s new capabilities include:

• Search for products available through local retail outlets. For example, a search for UGG boots in and around Miami would show store locations that are within 25 miles of the shopper’s location. Consumers can easily adjust the search area to comprise a 40- or 50-mile radius, if desired.
• Immediately identify local retail outlets near you that carry desired items. After searching for a product on TheFind, search results will display items from both online retailers and local retail outlets – with local stores clearly identified via a “Local” icon.
• Check in-store availability. For select outlets supporting this capability, TheFind enables shoppers to see which nearby stores have a particular item in-stock. Additionally, all listings for local retailers have phone numbers listed so busy shoppers can call to check in-stock status.
• Quickly and easily determine which retail outlets offering the desired items are closest in proximity. For every search, TheFind graphically maps all the local brick and mortar stores carrying the items of interest. Consumers can use the map to determine which location is the closest to them, saving time and resources. The site also provides street addresses and phone numbers for each store location.
• Compare each store’s offerings and obtain the very best deal. TheFind puts a wealth of information at users’ fingertips to enable shoppers to assess the total overall cost of goods. TheFind alerts shoppers to various considerations such as sale items and promotions and driving distance of retail outlets, so they can make purchasing decisions based on their individual preferences and criteria. Integration of online prices and local offers helps consumers determine the best possible options.

Here’s an example of the new functionality in action based on a search for “All Clad Pots” (click to enlarge images):

And when you mouse over one of the product images:

TheFind is doing this by crawling and matching products on retailer websites with store location and contact information. Accordingly the site recommends “call for availability.” It’s a impressive implementation.

As local inventory data starts to become syndicated in 2008 and these capabilities become more widespread, they threaten e-tailers and those who sell without local stores (with the exception of eBay and Amazon). As I’ve argued all shopping sites will need to have local store information/inventory to compete. Notwithstanding the growth of e-commerce, the Internet is fundamentally a marketing platform to consumers who fulfill offlline rather than a transactions platform.

Remember than e-commerce is roughly 4% of total US retail.

Functionality like “buy online, pick up in store,” which is becoming increasingly common (though the province of major retailers), is a kind of hybrid between local shopping and e-commerce.

In addition to TheFind, the local shopping club includes:

• ShopLocal
• NearbyNow (soon to become a consumer destination)
• Krillion
• Where2GetIt
• StepUp (via Google)
• Yokel
• CNET
• BrandHabit
• GPShopper (mobile)

Shopping.com is on deck presumably with a recently announced deal with Channel Intelligence.

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In an interview with InternetRetailer, JCPenney noted that 80% of its shoppers had visited the company’s site before showing up in the store.

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