Esyshopping – Localized Online Shopping at Outside the Valley

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Esyshopping – Localized Online Shopping

By Adam | May 17, 2007

Vancouver based Esyshopping is hoping to do for online shopping what Outside.in has done for place blogging. Built on the concept of localized information, the company is developing a technology that aggregates local data from across the web to help people browse, compare, and buy products from retail stores close to them.

While services like Craigslist and Google’s localized search engine have made it easier for people to find geographic specific information and listings, there is still a gap in the internet space when it comes to mashing up local shopping data. Esyshopping’s niche focus on this category is designed to fill this void.

By emulating a local mall or retail market, the service holds potential value in number of ways. First, it enables people to find, compare, and purchase products close to them. Since most commerce is conducted at the local level, this holds the potential to expand the localized online shopping market – a segment that hasn’t been fully utilized. Second, the service opens up online advertising to the large, relatively untapped market of local advertisers. While this group spends a staggering amount of advertising dollars on traditional media, there have been limited channels for these advertisers to implement advertising campaigns online.

Co-founder Theo Tonca and his team are putting their final touches on the site, with plans to launch the basic beta version in June. Additional features are expected shortly after launch, including a store rating system and integrated transit directions. You can enter your email on their landing page if you wish to be notified of the exact launch date.

Outside the Valley Score
Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada = 2
Founders: Under 20, Second-time Entrepreneurs = 1
Technology: AJAX, PHP = 1
Funding: Bootstrapped= 3

Total = 7 Based in Canada and operated by young bootstrapped entrepreneurs, Esyshopping definitely has characteristics of a non-Valley startup.

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