WebProNews

Most folks know that they can find whatever they want on the Web.  Nonetheless, people still hop in the car when it’s time to actually buy stuff.  This can be a good thing, though, if you learn to take advantage of it.

SES Chicago returns, and WebProNews is on hand to bring you reports and videos from the Windy City.  Enjoy our coverage this week.

FastCall411’s Richard Rosen pointed out that local search is frustrating for consumers, and an effective business model has yet to materialize.  Also, there often aren’t as many user-generated reviews of a given product or service as people would like to see.

Manish Patel of Where2GetIt suggested overcoming some of these obstacles by getting your name out there - make friends with ShopLocal, Shopzilla, ValueClick, and Pricegrabber, among others.  Answer basic questions, like when, where, and how to buy, and track your results and conversions.

NearbyNow’s Scott Dunlap pointed out that some people simply like shopping in malls - teens do it for the social experience - so you can use mobile methods to extend in-mall advertising.

Bob Armour of ShopLocal seemed to agree, saying that the Internet is being used more as a research tool than a buying tool, but the net’s influence on offline sales will continue to grow (causing almost half of all retail sales by 2011).
 
WebProNews Internet reporter/anchor Kara Ratliff contributed to this article.