ShopAdvisor Buys Retailigence

Proximity marketing and analytics firm ShopAdvisor has acquired in-store product data and location services specialist Retailigence, for an undisclosed sum.

The deal brings together ShopAdvisor personalization capabilities and access to more than 210m online and local inventory products, and Retailigence's real-time information on the availability of those products across 200,000 brick-and-mortar stores. The two companies had previously partnered to integrate their offerings, and say clients can now present shoppers, through their smartphones, with 'the right product offers at precisely the right time, using the right contact methodology that will drive them into stores and spur purchases'.

Specifically, ShopAdvisor will integrate Retailigence's technology into the three modular services that comprise its Intelligence Suite - Product Intelligence, Content Intelligence and Location Intelligence - improving targeting and end-to-end coverage. In addition, the buy more than doubles ShopAdvisor's headcount and brings it a number of high profile clients in media, manufacturing and retail.

According to ShopAdvisor Executive Chairman Dekkers Davidson, 'ShopAdvisor capitalized on the opportunity to automate the top of the sales funnel while Retailigence focused on brick-and-mortar retail, the final step. There is a natural and powerful synergy between our offerings that will dramatically improve a shopper's path-to-purchase and address retailers' objectives of increasing in-store product purchases'.

The firms quote research conducted by Ipsos MediaCT using Google data, suggesting that 92% of all purchases still occur in brick-and-mortar stores, but 82% of smartphone users consult their phone while in a store. Jeff Papows, CEO of ShopAdvisor comments: 'We see the need for a completely integrated path to purchase, through the media, where consumers are influenced, staying connected through the transaction - online or at a local retailer... By providing a platform that encompasses real-time product intelligence, content intelligence, shopper analytics, and hyperlocal proximity awareness, we can intelligently engage with shoppers via their smartphones and aid them in every step of the process of discovering, evaluating, locating and purchasing products. This strategic acquisition positions ShopAdvisor as the only company providing an end-to-end solution that does this'.

In the past, Retailigence has partnered with digital ad management company Sizmek to drive foot traffic via messages on multiple screen; and with mobile engagement firm Gimbal to combine in-store product availability data with beacon technology.

Web sites: www.shopadvisor.com and www.retailigence.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.