TRB Tribune

ShopLocal Survey Reveals Early Retail Surge for Holiday Shopping Season CHICAGO, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- While retailers may have posted disappointing results for the second quarter, they may look forward to brighter days ahead, according to a recent survey by ShopLocal.com. The comparison shopping Web site's poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults revealed that many consumers already have begun their gift shopping process. According to the results of the July 2007 ShopLocal.com online poll, exactly one-third (33 percent) of respondents have already crossed items off their holiday shopping lists, having purchased gifts more than six months before the first eggnog is poured. And, hats off to the ambitious .01 percent who reported having their holiday shopping completely finished. Many respondents (18 percent) reported getting a jump on their holiday gift giving by using the Internet to research information on big-ticket holiday gift items like the iPhone, laptop computers, jewelry, flat-screen televisions, digital picture frames and gaming systems Nintendo Wii, XBOX 360 and Playstation 3. As for those who have already made purchases, the survey showed that consumers are buying both online (13 percent) and at "brick and mortar" retailers (49 percent) -- with 38 percent saying they have purchased items through both channels for people on their holiday list. For more data from the ShopLocal 2007 Christmas in July survey or to compare online and in-store offers on all back-to-school items and for additional shopping information and tips, visit http://www.shoplocal.com/. About ShopLocal ShopLocal, the leader in multi-channel shopping services, offers a complete suite of innovative solutions that connect retailers and consumers online and in-store. ShopLocal's SmartCircular, SmartCatalog and SmartMedia services enable retailers to reach their customers anywhere on the Internet with highly targeted, locally versioned offers and promotions. ShopLocal's multi-channel shopping site, shoplocal.com, provides consumers choice and control in their shopping experiences by offering the most comprehensive selection of timely online and in-store offers on consumer electronics, apparel, groceries, and more, on one easy-to-use site. ShopLocal's customers include many of the nation's leading retailers, including Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, CVS and Sears. ShopLocal powers multi-channel shopping for hundreds of newspaper Web sites and other leading shopping sites, such as Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Arizona Republic, Google and SuperPages.com. ShopLocal is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) and Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB). For more information, visit http://www.shoplocalllc.com/. ShopLocal, ShopLocal.com, SmartCircular, SmartCatalog and SmartMedia are trademarks of ShopLocal. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. DATASOURCE: ShopLocal CONTACT: Tim Young, , or Holly Ramsey, , both of L.C. Williams & Associates, +1-312-565-3900, 1-800-837-7123, for ShopLocal Web site: http://www.shoplocal.com/ http://www.shoplocalllc.com/

Copyright