Web-Based Platform converts print circulars to online format.

Press Release Summary:



SmartCircular(TM) v4.0 converts print circular ads into online, dynamic, searchable, and multi-language format. Providing unique and connected brand experience for advertisers, solution offers customizable interface as well as viral and social syndication tools for user re-distribution of promotional content. Featured items can be given special prominence, and all marketing print promotions are available from centralized location.



Original Press Release:



ShopLocal Adds New Features to Industry-Leading SmartCircular Ad Service



Next Generation Web Platform Extends Reach and Increases Usability of Online Promotions

CHICAGO, Jan. 28 -- ShopLocal(TM), the leader in multi-channel shopping and marketing services, today announced the next generation of the retail industry's leading online circular platform, SmartCircular(TM) 4.0. SmartCircular technology converts versioned print circular ads into an online, dynamic, searchable and multi-language format, providing a unique and connected brand experience for advertisers. The new SmartCircular 4.0 platform, a rich media Internet application, includes a highly customizable interface that enables a more powerful user experience, a robust technology platform to handle high volumes of traffic and viral and social syndication tools to allow user re-distribution of promotional content.

SmartCircular 4.0 sites will work to preserve the retailer's branding of both their Web site and printed promotions by incorporating the advertisers' look and feel but with enhanced interactive navigation tools and special online-only circular functionality that help achieve strong and consistent multi-channel messaging.

Retailers who have beta tested SmartCircular 4.0, have seen on average a 46 percent increase in returning visitors, a 24 percent increase in the number of page views per visit and a 30 percent increase in the average number of circular pages viewed.

"SmartCircular 4.0 brings an engaging and well designed user experience that converts Web site visitors into store shoppers," said Bill McCarthy, COO at ShopLocal. "Our retail clients want to offer their customers engaging, interactive, timely and easy-to-use presentations of their localized store promotions and this new solution delivers on all dimensions."

Key SmartCircular 4.0 platform features include:
-- Dynamic real-time content distribution options via localized RSS 2.0 and Atom 1.0 feeds by category, brand and keyword search term(s).
-- Inclusion and special presentation of "Bonus Pages" which are exclusive, online-only circular pages that appear nowhere else except within the SmartCircular site.
-- Designed and built on rich media technologies, including Adobe Flash and Flex, providing an unmatched user experience.
-- Option to use email or mobile phone (via SMS) to send a shopping list or sales item to a friend.
-- Featured (or hero) items can now be given special prominence.
-- Many integration points are now available to help better connect a SmartCircular 4.0 site with the advertiser's dot com site such as maps and directions, alternative choices in response to null searches and analytics.
-- Ability to easily manage a number of content areas within the SmartCircular 4.0 sites via a flexible and geocentric content management system.
-- One centralized location for all marketing print promotions such as FSI, ROP, multi-page circulars, flyers, buying guides and catalogs.
-- Flexible underlying framework that allows uniquely tailored and customizable circulars for each retailer.
-- Multi-language, Cross-OS and multi-browser compatibility are fully supported and accessibility compliant.
-- Multi-channel options such as buy online, pick up in store, one-click add to cart and in-store inventory availability are now supported.

To view a live example of the Home Depot SmartCircular 4.0 site, please go to: homedepot.shoplocal.com/homedepot/new_user_entry.aspx?CityStateZip=10022.

About ShopLocal

ShopLocal, the leader in multi-channel shopping services, offers a complete suite of solutions connecting advertisers and consumers online and in-store. The company's consumer Web site, ShopLocal.com, provides users with choice and control in their shopping experience by offering the most comprehensive selection of timely online and in-store offers on one easy-to-use site. With ShopLocal.com, consumers can find millions of products and up-to-date weekly sales, deals, and coupons for consumer electronics, apparel, groceries and more.

ShopLocal's industry leading SmartCircular, SmartMedia and SmartCatalog solutions are used by more than one hundred of the nation's top retailers, including Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, CVS and Sears. ShopLocal powers multi-channel shopping for hundreds of newspaper Web sites and other leading local and shopping sites, such as Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Arizona Republic, Google and SuperPages.com. ShopLocal is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI). For more information, visit http://www.aboutshoplocal.com/.

ShopLocal, ShopLocal.com, SmartCircular, SmartCatalog, SmartMedia, SmartDelivery and ShopLocal Index are trademarks of ShopLocal. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Marcy Dockery of ShopLocal, +1-312-768-7523, mdockery@shoplocal.com

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