Local.com Adds Local Shopping

By Kevin Newcomb

November 29, 2005

Local search player Interchange has added ShopLocal's local shopping information to its Local.com listings.

ShopLocal -- owned by Tribune Co., Gannett and Knight Ridder -- creates geo-targeted online counterparts to offline newspaper circulars, which it distributes through more than 200 affiliate media, search, and shopping sites. Through the partnership, merchants advertising on ShopLocal will have their promotions and deals distributed to Local.com users in their target markets.

Local.com users who search for product categories or keywords will see a "View Store Specials" alongside Local.com's existing business information when a ShopLocal listing is present. That takes users directly to the merchant's page on ShopLocal.com.

Local.com has a similar agreement with OpenTable.com, which provides users with enhanced restaurant information and the ability to make reservations online. Interchange is considering similar deals with other providers to offer additional enhanced listings in other categories, according to Christine Schoultz, a company spokesperson.

"We continue to explore ways to add value to the search results we provide to customers," Schoultz told ClickZ News. "Our goal is to add as much enhanced business information as possible around each listing."

Through an October partnership with Gannett-owned PointRoll, ShopLocal's ads will also be distributed via a new "PaperBoy" rich media ad unit. ShopLocal launched in August 2004.