The Shopatron has launch what it calls the first iteration of an auto-updating local product and retailer search directory. It is the first search directory built specifically to help consumers find local retailers who carry their preferred brands.

Using Search.Shopatron, consumers can search for tough-to-find specialty products and find retailers who are known to carry them in stock. Visitors can also use the Stores By Brand and Stores by Country/State browsing features. The data on Search.Shopatron reflects actual retailer and consumer activity on the Shopatron platform; therefore, the results are always accurate and up-to-date, says the company. When consumers, retailers, and manufacturers interact on the Shopatron platform, Search.Shopatron is automatically updated. For example, when a local retailer fulfills an online order for a certain brand, that brand is automatically added to that retailers listing.

According to Mark Grondin of Shopatron, marketers are not able to manipulate the data. It is based on real transactions – products that were purchased and pulled off the shelf. But the biggest gain is that this is “local.” Whereas big chain stores like Best Buy or Wal-Mart have huge systems to tell them what they have in each store, Mom & Pop shops don’t have the resources to tell them what is in their store or publish this data to the public. “With Search.Shopatron, they now have this ability,” he says.

“The retailer information on the site currently includes customer ratings for the store and location information, including address and opening hours. Future iterations will significantly expand on this information to include details such as the actual product lines carried by the retailer. And as this information gains in detail, the Google rankings on these pages will rise, providing even greater exposure for Shopatron brands and fulfillment partners,” says Grondin.