MeziMedia
Smarter.com Announces Certified Merchant Program
New Program Allows Consumers to Clearly Identify Reputable
Merchants with Superior Business Practices, Customer Service Including
Overstock.com, J&R and Gateway…
Los Angeles, CA – (December 14, 05) – Smarter.com, a leading international comparison shopping search engine, today announced the launch of their Certified Merchant Program, a new service that allows consumers to clearly identify the top merchants who list products for sale on Smarter.com that adhere to strict customer service guidelines and business practices. The Certified Merchant Program empowers both buyers and sellers to safely and effectively conduct business via Smarter.com.
Smarter.com is providing qualified merchants with premier access to the lucrative audience of shoppers drawn to the popular comparison shopping site. With Smarter.com’s Certified Merchant Program, merchants who list with Smarter.com have seen increases in conversion of two to seven times more than paid search.
"Identifying best-of-breed merchants is a crucial step in meeting the needs of our customer base," Talmadge O’Neill, co-founder, Smarter.com. "In addition, our vendors realize how valuable a Certified Merchant classification is in driving more clicks and increasing conversions.”
To earn the status of Certified Merchant, a vendor must:
Receive positive customer feedback of at least 4 out of 5 stars
Provide basic store information including store address, customer service phone number, payment options, shipping/delivery options, and return policies.
Have been an active merchant on Smarter.com for a minimum of 3 months.
Have been approved by our third-party merchant review verification service.
In addition to certification, a 'Smarter Choice' designation can also be given to help consumers make the best possible choice by highlighting a chosen product from a ‘Certified Merchant’ with the lowest price. The 'Smarter Choice' designation will be highlighted on the page by including a visible logo within a particular merchant's listing. The 'Smarter Choice' designation or logo cannot be purchased and is awarded to merchants who have consistently displayed outstanding service and pricing to Smarter.com consumers.
Smarter.com has also implemented an unbiased buyer feedback system in an effort to safeguard both consumers and merchants. Any party may post comments about a merchant for future Smarter.com visitors to read. Merchants who have proactively implemented the free Smarter.com point-of-purchase consumer feedback tool have seen a substantial increase in the number of reviews they've received, not to mention higher conversion rates.
Smarter.com’s current Certified Merchants include:
J&R Music World
B&H Photo Video
Gateway
Bose
Abe’s of Maine
Digital Megastore
DBuys
Central Digital
I Buy Plasma
CompuAmerica
Beach Camera
Avalon Gadgets
Digital Foto Club
MP SuperStore
ElectroDiscounts
Nice Electronics
About Mezi Media:
Mezi Media, Inc. is a global leader helping consumers save money when they shop online through comparison shopping search in the U.S., Japan, and China (http://www.smarter.com, http://www.smarter.co.jp, http://www.smarter.com.cn, and online coupons in 10 countries including the U.S., Japan, and China (http://www.couponmountain.com/, http://www.waribikiya.com,
http://www.dahongbao.com cash back rewards (http://www.morerebates.com/) and Smarter SMS which provides portable, fast, easy, and powerful comparison shopping and coupons from the convenience of a cell phone.
Mezi Media Inc. was founded by former Overture Services team members Talmadge O'Neill and Harry Tsao in 2002 and has been profitable every quarter since inception. The company has more than 90 employees and offices in Los Angeles, Shanghai, and Tokyo. More information is available at (http://www.smarter.com/press)
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For More Information:
Alan Wallace
VP, Corporate Communications
Harrison Wise
Rubenstein Public Relations