Toy Retailers and Others Use Shopatron to Overcome Post-Holiday Slump

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With post-holiday clearance sales in the rearview mirror, like most years, retailers have seen their annual sales drop off. Record snowfall across much of the country hasn't helped either, tempting consumers to stay indoors and do their shopping online. But some retailers have found one way to bridge this retail downtime – retail-integrated eCommerce.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101109/SHOPATRONLOGO)

With retail-integrated eCommerce, provided by companies like Shopatron, orders from branded websites, like Melissa and Doug, Spy Optic and Suzuki, are sent to local retailers based on proximity to the shopper. Orders can be delivered to the customer from the retail shop using a wide variety of delivery methods, including in-store pickup – which leads to additional sales in-store.

The partnership with Shopatron has allowed retail stores like Beachwalk Coastal, which fulfills orders for Melissa and Doug in Solana Beach, Calif., to significantly impact sales in recent weeks. Heather Fritz, owner of Beachwalk Coastal, noted that her January 2011 same-store sales grew 25% over January 2010 thanks to participating in the Shopatron exchange.

"I would definitely recommend Shopatron," Fritz said. "For retailers, Shopatron increases your store's exposure to consumers. Shopatron can increase your consumer reach and distribution. For branded manufacturers, I would recommend using Shopatron as another channel of distribution. By using Shopatron you can alleviate some of the picking and packing processes by awarding online orders to your fulfillment partners. And as a brand you do want to make sure that you are partnering with retailers who will ensure that your brand is represented the way you would like."

Retail-integrated eCommerce also exposes brands to new retailers who may start stocking their products when they see orders from that brand in the order exchange. In fact, a survey by Shopatron in 2009 revealed that 57% of Shopatron retailers monitor new brand launches in the order exchange to determine if they should start stocking the brand.

"Shopatron has been an asset to my company," said Maria Shehata, owner of Elite Toy Store in Islandia, N.Y. "I've started selling products from manufacturers that I never knew existed."

Going into 2011, Shopatron sales in the hobby, toy and game category continue to grow, with sales across the exchange up 25% in the fourth quarter of 2010.

For more information, visit http://ecommerce.shopatron.com where you can find eCommerce resources and signup information for branded manufacturers and retail partners.

ABOUT SHOPATRON

Founded in 2001 in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Shopatron is the No. 1 retail-integrated eCommerce solution for branded manufacturers, distributors and multi-channel retailers. Working with more than 800 manufacturers and 12,000 retail partners across 35 industries, Shopatron meets the evolving eCommerce needs of branded manufacturers and multi-channel retailers.

Shopatron clients include top brands such as Suzuki, Polaroid, Mizuno, Ducati, JL Audio and Sport Chalet. For more information, call 1-866-625-5050 or visit ecommerce.shopatron.com.

SOURCE Shopatron