ShopLocal Adds Community Features

ShopLocal has added new features that aim to build community at the multi-channel shopping service.

These new community features enables shoppers to create a personal profile, search products revies, join forum discussions, and track prices; all of which can be shared with other ShopLocal users. The enhanced site also includes a new section dedicated to the most reviewed products, allowing visitors to see what other consumers are talking about most frequently. And with a featured widget on Google Desktop, ShopLocal.com users can enter a ZIP code and a search term to have updated local deals and information automatically appear in their Web browsers.

According to a recent study by market research firm Compete, Inc., online social networkers give more weight to peer feedback than to any other source of information before making a purchase. "Since consumers are the ones on the front lines of shopping, we are inviting them to use our site to share their experiences along with feedback on products and special deals," said Bob Armour, CMO of ShopLocal.

"The beauty of this type of online sharing is that it is truly unbiased and creates a very friendly, interactive shopping network. If you like someone's take on a particular product, you can easily see what else they have reviewed on ShopLocal.com."

The enhanced site also includes a new section dedicated to the most reviewed products, allowing visitors to see what other consumers are talking about most frequently. And with a featured widget on Google Desktop, ShopLocal.com users can enter a ZIP code and a search term to have updated local deals and information automatically appear in their Web browsers.