By Aimee Chanthadavong
Consumers are now researching more than ever before they make the choice of where and how they purchase what they need.
The launch of inStore will further embrace this growing trend as it has been setup to help connect retailers and their products with shoppers. inStore product search engine enables shoppers to locate products in bricks and mortar stores nearby. Shoppers using inStore mobile or web can locate the desired product and be directed to stores that sell the item using the available map.
The site, co-founded by Melboune-based engineers Jeremy Sender and Ben Sender, has been two years in the making with time spent creating an interface with popular accounting packages like QuickBooks and MYOB to allow real-time, seamless integration for medium and large retailers.
“In day-to-day life, we are often faced with the scenario of wanting to purchase a specific product off-the-shelve right now. For example I wanted to purchase a vitamin supplement, however was forced to walk from store to store and aimlessly search on Google trying to find the supplement,” founder and CEO Jeremy Sender told RetailBiz.
“It was clear there was a real problem to be solved. And being engineers, we love to solve meaningful problems. We began with the concept over two years ago and decided early 2010 to commit some serious money, time and effort to designing and constructing a system that really works.
“More than 50 per cent of consumers decide what they want before they go out and purchase it. This in conjunction with the price and location of a product is what determines the consumers purchase. Our platform is designed to help the consumer find the retailer before they purchase and while they are shopping.”
Bricks and mortar retailers can connect themselves to the inStore platform where they will have their own dedicated store page. They will have the choice to upload their inventory of products, product description and image, as well as price of products if the retailer chooses to. Shoppers can then search and locate Products and Stores, anytime, anywhere.
The system also caters for small retailers that do not have a website or live inventory list. They can sign-up and operate their own dedicated “back-of-shop” interface on inStore that shows all of their stock and products.
“The Store Page is purpose-designed to give additional visual impact to the way retailers advertise and promote their products and store. The inStore platform can give momentum to retailers marketing strategies. As the latest marketing technologies are incorporated into inStore, retailers can discover a powerful yet simple means to reach their Shoppers. inStore generates effective leads that will drive shoppers to stores,” Sender said.