PriceSpider, a leading online retail marketing service provider, today announced expanded availability of its Where-to-Buy (WTB) services. Previously available in the consumer electronics space, the PriceSpider WTB service is now also available and in use in the home appliance, toy, automotive parts, sporting goods and consumer packaged goods markets.
By leveraging real-time web crawlers instead of the customary and limited data feeds approach, PriceSpider WTB technology serves up instantaneous information for quick consumer action and retailer advantage. The service can be integrated into a manufacturer’s website allowing:
- Consumers to see real-time pricing and stock information for online and local sellers, greatly improving the shopping experience
- A brand to gain invaluable insights into what consumers are purchasing even if they’re buying other products
- A brand to determine which digital marketing campaigns are resulting in the most online sales
- Mobile shoppers to use their phones and/or tablets to locate and purchase products or get directions to their local sellers
- Any retailer in any country to attract consumers and sell products with PriceSpider’s global WTB solution
With the PriceSpider WTB service, consumers visiting a manufacturer’s website see all authorized/preferred sellers endorsed by the brand. In addition, consumers can directly view up-to-the-minute pricing and stock availability. They no longer have to go to a local store only to discover the product they’re seeking is out of stock; this type of experience can create a negative mindset toward the brand, and even result in the purchase of a competitive product as a ‘convenient’ replacement. With the PriceSpider WTB service, brands can take control of this process to provide a world-class shopping experience that also empowers their channel partners.
“The PriceSpider real-time Where-to-Buy engine gives consumers the ability to easily pinpoint exactly where the desired product is available and in stock – both via online and local sellers – and at what price,” said Anthony Ferry, CEO, PriceSpider. “This level of access simplifies the purchase process in a wide array of retail industries and creates happy customers who are more likely to become brand advocates.”
PriceSpider gives manufacturers full flexibility to manage the list of sellers that appear within the WTB engine, as well as the ranking order. The list can be modified on a category or per-SKU basis with logic to exclude sellers that are out of stock or in violation of MAP programs (using PriceSpider’s MAP monitoring services). Since PriceSpider does not use reseller data feeds, there are no limits to how many or which sellers appear within the WTB program. Even small “Mom & Pop” sellers or service centers can be added to the WTB program.
“With the PriceSpider WTB solution, we are delivering clear support for all of our channel partners, both online and at local retail locations across all products,” said John Bistolas, director of corporate marketing at Wacom. “Major consumer electronics retailers, specialty retail and authorized systems integrators are supported appropriately, based on SKU and minimum advertised price policies. Even better, we are helping our customers easily find retailers with whom they already have a natural affinity.”