TheFind Blog

TheFind.com Announces Powerful, New Local Search Capabilities – a Boon to Last-minute Holiday Shoppers Looking for the Complete Holiday Shopping Experience

The Comprehensive and Complete Shopping Search Engine Integrates both Local and Universal Online Shopping within a Single Website

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--TheFind, Inc., the leading shopping search engine and web destination for discovering lifestyle goods, today introduced new local search capabilities that provide users with the ability to find products from local retailers.

Also new on TheFind is interactive maps that pinpoint a store’s location and show store contact information and website links. In addition, shoppers can use TheFind’s integrated in-store availability checking feature across the set of merchants that support this capability. Lastly, TheFind provides integrated marketing areas for promotional offers from local merchants such as coupons and other deals, to help drive in-store purchases.

Local search is one of the fastest growing areas of search engine technology, and integration with “brick and mortar” stores and location-specific data to facilitate in-store purchases is seen as the “last mile” in search. A recent study found that 86 percent of those surveyed used the Internet to find a local business from which to shop. TheFind is the first shopping search engine to merge these two consumer needs for online shopping and offline shopping research all in one single website.

“While there are a number of shopping sites that offer local search capabilities to varying degrees, with this added capability, we believe TheFind brings the most comprehensive and complete local shopping search to the market. TheFind is now the first shopping search engine to seamlessly integrate online universal shopping with local shopping results to most closely align with how consumers use the Internet,” said Siva Kumar, co-founder and CEO for TheFind.

“These new local features are an added bonus around the holidays, as shopping days begin to dwindle and consumers start to hurry to complete their gift lists. Leveraging TheFind.com, consumers can shop at home first and find products at stores nearby, so they can pick up the merchandise themselves, quickly and easily, avoiding costly rush shipping charges,” added Kumar.

The new, local search capabilities enable shoppers to:

    * Search for products available through local retail outlets. For example, a search for UGG boots in and around Miami would show store locations that are within 25 miles of the shopper’s location. Consumers can easily adjust the search area to comprise a 40- or 50-mile radius, if desired.

• Immediately identify local retail outlets near you that carry desired items. After searching for a product on TheFind, search results will display items from both online retailers and local retail outlets – with local stores clearly identified via a “Local” icon.

• Check in-store availability. For select outlets supporting this capability, TheFind enables shoppers to see which nearby stores have a particular item in-stock. Additionally, all listings for local retailers have phone numbers listed so busy shoppers can call to check in-stock status.

• Quickly and easily determine which retail outlets offering the desired items are closest in proximity. For every search, TheFind graphically maps all the local brick and mortar stores carrying the items of interest. Consumers can use the map to determine which location is the closest to them, saving time and resources. The site also provides street addresses and phone numbers for each store location.

• Compare each store’s offerings and obtain the very best deal. TheFind puts a wealth of information at users’ fingertips to enable shoppers to assess the total overall cost of goods. TheFind alerts shoppers to various considerations such as sale items and promotions and driving distance of retail outlets, so they can make purchasing decisions based on their individual preferences and criteria. Integration of online prices and local offers helps consumers determine the best possible options.

The new local search capabilities come on the heels of other new enhancements to TheFind.com, including the addition of mini malls, enabling consumers to shop specific types of outlets from boutiques or well-known department stores, and even shops located within famous shopping destinations such as 5th & Madison (in New York) and Rodeo Drive (in Beverly Hills).

TheFind.com crawls more than 500,000 stores on the Web to find more than 200 million products across all shopping categories. Its unmatched Web search ability includes access to unique and hard-to-find boutiques, brand stores and hip, must-have products. TheFind.com’s objective approach offers shoppers search results which are ranked by natural popularity, instead of offering results influenced by paid placements.

About TheFind Inc.

TheFind.com offers the leading shopping search engine that delivers comprehensive, authentic and visually compelling results for products, specializing in the lifestyle goods category. From the most popular e-commerce sites to the most unique, hard-to-find brands, TheFind uniquely crawls the entire Web to find more than 200 million products from over 500,000 stores. By using its patent-pending “product ranking” technology, TheFind displays the best-selling products, styles, brands and stores for any shopping search right on the first page of results – saving consumers time and money. TheFind Inc. family includes leading fashion shopping website Glimpse, which specifically caters to fashion-savvy shoppers searching for the latest trends and hottest apparel products, and TheFindGreen which finds organic brands, green stores and environmentally-friendly products all in one place. TheFind Inc. promotes shopping that gives back to the community through its Color For A Cause campaigns, which have included charitable beneficiaries such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Doctors Without Borders and Global Green USA.

TheFind Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is backed by leading investors Bain Capital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Contacts
Arora PR for TheFind, Inc.
Shaila Arora, 310-749-5006
Shaila@arorapr.com

Toy Safety -- Be Informed

Being a parent of young children can be a bit frightening right now. Every time you turn around, there's another toy recall. I seriously thought that we were well beyond the days of lead paint. It really sickens me that we have to worry about lead! I understand the recalls for small parts or things that fall off the toy easily. It's definitely not a good thing, but it's more understandable than lead paint.

If you'd like toy recall updates, sign up here. In addition, there's a ton of information on the cpsc.gov site. If you'd like an easy to view list of toy recalls, go here.

Some basic tips for buying safe toys:
1. Check the recall lists BEFORE making purchases. It's amazing some of the toys that get recalled.
2. Make sure the toy(s) you're buying are age appropriate (there are reasons for this folks).
3. Skip the toys with really small pieces. You may think that your son or daughter would never ingest a toy, but I've seen small parts get stuck in kids noses and ears and that's not fun for anyone.
4. Check all attached pieces to make sure they're really secure (eyes, noses, accessories, etc).
5. Avoid toys with long strings and straps.
6. Assess the toy carefully and imagine the absolute unimaginable things that can happen with the toy and/or it's parts. Kids are very creative and if there's a one in a million chance that they can hurt themselves, they will figure out a way. It's sad, but true.
7. If all else fails, by "green" toys!

Happy Searching/Safe Shopping,
Payton

Hottest Product Searches on TheFind.com

How much holiday shopping did you complete over the long holiday weekend? It was the biggest shopping weekend of the year! Did you brave the crowds, stay inside and shop online in your cozy pajamas, or did you ignore it all? Whether you shopped or not, here are the hottest product searches that we saw over the big holiday shopping weekend.

Women's Apparel - Metallic Jeans

Kids Item - Footie Pajamas

Hottest Gadget/Toy - Nintendo Wii

Jewelry - Promise Rings, Stackable Rings 

               

Hottest Color - Red: Cell Phones, Coffee Makers, Blenders, Purses

   

Hottest Cosmetics - Bobbi Brown

Hottest Home Item - Roomba Robotic Vacuum (And Red Items Listed Above!)

Hottest Green Brand - Loomstate

 

Most Unique Search - Decorated Turkey Cookies

So, there you have it...nine categories of products that people just like you were shopping for this weekend. I hope it gave you some good ideas for some of the people on your list. I'm thinking everything RED this year. What do you think?!?

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

TheFindGreen Offers Tips for “Green” Holiday Products for Kids

Leading Green Shopping Search Engine Offers Eco-Conscious Gift Givers Options from Green Retailers; Give a Gift to a Child, Give a Gift to the World: A Lower Carbon Footprint

Mountain View, Calif. – November 16, 2007 – With consumers gearing up for the holiday shopping season, TheFindGreen, the leading shopping search engine and web destination for discovering eco-conscious fashion and lifestyle goods, today issued tips on how gift givers can select toys and gifts for children that are environmentally-friendly, safe and non-toxic.

Increased visibility and awareness of environmental concerns is yielding growing consumer support for eco-friendly retailers, especially as it relates to children and children’s products. Consumers are becoming more educated on the high environmental cost of mass produced plastic toys, including the plastic and paper packaging and pollution created by many toy-making plants. In addition, the recent rash of toy recalls due to toxic materials has heightened consumers’ concerns about the safety of children’s toys.

“More than ever, parents are aware of both environmental and safety issues when it comes to purchasing products for their children,” says Larisa Hall, Vice President of Marketing for TheFind Inc. “By purchasing ‘green’ toys, parents can not only decrease the family’s carbon footprint but can encourage green choices that have an impact on the future of their children.”

Hall outlines the following tips for “green” gifting:

Whenever possible, buy toys made from certified organic, recycled, or sustainably-grown fiber, paper and wood products. These are produced with a lesser impact on the environment than many other materials. Your choices help support these growing green industries.

Consider the number of plastic toys that you buy. Whenever possible, choose toys made from wood, metal, or cloth, which keep plastics and batteries out of landfills. Be cautious of products made from pressed wood and particle board, however, to avoid carcinogenic formaldehyde often found in the glues that hold these materials together.

If you purchase toys made from plastics, be sure to check the recycling sign on the packaging to determine the type of plastic. Be aware of products made from #3PRC or V (polyvinyl chloride), as this type of plastic can leak toxic chemicals. Look for “PVC-free” on the labels of soft plastic toys and teethers.

Share your eco-friendly toy wish list with friends and families: TheFindGreen.com offers an innovative “MyFinds” feature, which enables users to save selected green items directly from search results. Users can also easily email items from their “MyFinds” list to friends and family.

Look for toys and games that educate children on environmental matters. Examples include board games that teach children about endangered animals and resource conservation, and use buttons, paper clips or other household items to reduce manufacturing costs and wastes.

When buying art supplies, look for products with an ASTM D-4236 label. This indicates the product has been reviewed by a toxicologist and labeled with cautionary information.

TheFindGreen.com offers shopping search results inclusive only of eco-friendly products developed using ecologically conscious materials and processes, or those offered by retailers who are actively committed to environment preservation and conservation efforts.

For the next four weeks, consumer searches for eco-friendly products on the TheFindGreen that include the word “green” will generate $1 per search for leading environmental charity, Global Green USA.

About TheFind Inc.
TheFind.com offers the leading shopping search engine that delivers comprehensive, authentic and visually compelling results for products, specializing in the lifestyle goods category. From the most popular e-commerce sites to the most unique, hard-to-find brands, TheFind uniquely crawls the entire Web to find more than 200 million products from over 500,000 stores.  By using its patent-pending “product ranking” technology, TheFind displays the best-selling products, styles, brands and stores for any shopping search right on the first page of results – saving consumers time and money. TheFind Inc. family includes leading fashion shopping website Glimpse, which specifically caters to fashion-savvy shoppers searching for the latest trends and hottest apparel products, and TheFindGreen which finds organic brands, green stores and environmentally-friendly products all in one place. TheFind Inc. promotes shopping that gives back to the community through its Color For A Cause campaigns, which have included charitable beneficiaries such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Doctors Without Borders and Global Green USA.

TheFind Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is backed by leading investors Bain Capital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
                                                                                    ###

For more information, or for green product samples or photos, please contact:

Shaila Arora
Arora PR for TheFind, Inc.
Ph: 310-749-5006
Email: Shaila@arorapr.com

How to Get "Tweens" to Shower

Check out this cool new toy! It's so new, you can't even buy it yet. But it's coming soon (this Fall), so read on...

Introducing AquaStruct™...the cool new tool that kids can build and play with in the shower! Kids of all ages can plumb the walls of their showers with suction-cup mounted pipes, hoses, valves, sprayers and misters. In addition to all that, you can buy a shower curtain and tub mat that spray!

Kids can express more than creativity, they can learn all kinds of cool things like circuit logic, problem solving and resource management. This might be the first step to becoming an engineer, think of the possibilities!

AquaStruct will be taking pre-orders within the next few days. I'll post a link here as soon as it's available and you can take advantage of a 25% discount. It's never too early to start shopping for Christmas, right?

Happy Searching/Shopping,

Payton

Fun Things to Do at Work

Do you ever have moments during your workday when you can't do anything until several other people complete tasks that are necessary for you to move forward? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that we all have experienced this at one time or another. Let's just say that you have some downtime as I mentioned...what do you do with that time? You could organize all the emails that you haven't had time to file. Speaking of filing, you could go through the huge pile of papers on your desk and file them. You could surf the internet and catch up on your favorite blogs (oh wait, you're already doing that ;o). Or, you could play some silly little games. Sound like fun? Read on!

If you need to be discreet (as in, you don't want your boss to know), you could play a round or two of desktop dodgeball. It's not as rough as the real game, but it is pretty fun to knock all the little people over. Get a co-worker involved and it's doubly fun!

If you like the concept of dodgeball, but think it's too silly then try mini bowling instead. You can knock pins over instead of little cartoon kids.

Do you prefer quieter games? Then you might like the mini desktop sandbox. This is also a good thing to play with when you're stumped or need to change your pace so you can be more productive while writing or working on project.

Or, you might opt for a good "old fashioned" Rubik's Cube. They're all the rage again like they were in the '80s! It's something that's easy to work on for a few minutes or a few hours, depending on how determined you are to solve it.

I guess now would be a good time to make a note to myself to buy my boss a desktop toy to try to balance out all the toys I have on my desk.

Happy Playing/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Let's Pretend!

There are so many toys these days that don't require children to think. Oftentimes, the toys are automated and present children with many functions. While that's really cool, it disables children from using their imaginations. Try focusing on toys that elicit creativity and good old fashioned "made up" fun!

Check out toys like this and gift them to your favorite little friends and family members. They're sure to ask you to get involved and play with them. Do yourself and favor and get in there and have some fun! The coolest adults (in a child's eyes) are the ones that get dirty and play with them.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Solo Act

Back, by popular demand...more iPod products! (And the crowd goes wild!!!) The crowd will really go wild if you gift the following items for your favorite iPod fan. Depending on the talent (or lack there of) of the person you gift this to will determine if the crowd's wild factor is positive or negative. We've all seen "American Idol," right?!?

No, it's not a billy club...it's iKaraoke! With this cool gadget, you can turn any song on your iPod into a karoake tune. It will strip out the lead vocals so you can insert your own. There are options to leave a lead track to help you through the song and you can add reverb to your microphone too!

Take your karaoke act on the road with these JBL Encounter Speakers. You can entertain people everywhere you go. Think of the money you could make if you put out a tip hat when singing on the streets. Just a thought. People have certainly done stranger things.

Another cool and useful accessory for the iPod is the Harmon Kardon Drive & Play. This cool contraption will allow you to control your iPod while driving, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road by mounting an iPod-like menu on the dash. There are three ways to hook it up to your car. I'm betting you could still use the iKaraoke with this while you're driving. Just think of how fun road trips will be!

So, there you have it! You can take your "act" on the road and entertain millions with your iKaraoke and portable speakers. In addition to taking your car singing to a whole new level. The possibilities are endless. Forget the day job, hit the road Jack(ie)!

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Out of this World Gifts

Imagine having the midnight sky in your very own room! Or, having the ability to launch and control a spaceship. Even if you don't want these things for yourself, it's highly likely that you know someone who would.

Have you ever told someone you love that you would give them the world? Well, now you can give them the moon! And what's more, they can control the moon with their very own remote. The moon (for your room) displays the 12 phases of the moon. With the remote, you can select the one you want to display. The built-in light sensor illuminates the moon when the room gets dark.

Moon phases are cool, but perhaps you prefer constellations instead. With this motorized indoor planetarium, you can have it all -- over 600 stars, 88 constellations, and 12 celestial objects. The exploration is endless and both entertaining and soothing. Check it out!

If you're not into star gazing and moon watching, perhaps you'd be better  entertained by a flying spaceship. Okay, that's not what Discovery calls it, but that's what I call it. They call it a Vectron, but that name's a little too fancy for my taste. :o) Anyway, it flies up to 30 feet and they say it's safe for indoor and outdoor use. Regardless, it looks like a lot of fun!

Do you have any gift ideas that are "out of this world?" Leave a comment and let us know!

Happy Searching/Shopping,

Payton

Fun Stuff for Your Best Friend

These gifts will be "paws-atively" fabulous for your best friend or your mom's best friend or your best friend's best friend. Confused? Yeah, me too. But really, gifts.com has some amazing gifts for our four-legged friends. They're cute, fun and functional! What more could a pet ask for?!?

CUTE:

FUN:

FUNCTIONAL:

So there you have it. Your best friend (or someone's best friend) will love you forever with gifts like these. Nothing but good times on the doggie front! :o)

Happy (Trails) Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Let's Hear It for the Toys!

In my opinion, nothing makes Christmas more fun than toys. I think giving and receiving toys is a lot of fun! Of course, playing with them is the best part of all! With that, I'll highlight the Toys 'R Us top picks. Some of my favorites by age category...

Birth to 2 year olds
You guessed it! TMX Elmo -- I think it's Elmo's crazy, infectious laugh that make him so popular year after year. The little ones just can't resist him.

3 to 4 year olds
Train 'em young with a Fisher-Price Digital Camera! Besides, just think of all the film you'll save by buying your little one a digital camera.

5 to 7 year olds
Get your grade schooler geared up with VTech's Nitro Notebook. Every grade schooler needs to be up to speed in the computer world!

8 to 11 year olds
Have you seen Blue Man Group? If so, you'll appreciate Blue Man Percussion Tubes! I may have to purchase this one myself...Blue Man Group is really cool!!!

Big Kids
What else do "big kids" do besides play electronic games?!? I can't help but showcase the Nintendo Wii.  I like it because it's interactive. You have to physically move to control the game.  Two points to Nintendo for attempting to put a little exercise in gamers' lives. :o)

What other toys/games are hot this year?!? Chime in and let us know what you're shopping for!

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Techy Gadgets for Under $50

There are only 26 shopping days left until Christmas. I figure I'll do what I can to help guide your shopping decisions until the very last day. Have you started shopping yet? Have you devised your gift giving plans yet? I admit, I'm behind the curve on this, but I plan on doing all my shopping online. I have been shopping around and planning though. Have you tried "My Finds" yet? You can easily save a product that you're interested in buying by clicking the "Save In My Finds" link located directly under the product. My list is getting long! How 'bout yours?

On to the subject at hand...I enjoy giving cool techy gadgets to people. It's fun to watch someone's face light up when they a) figure out what the gift is or does and/or b) realize it's something they really need and/or always wanted. That brings me great joy! For today's picks, I refer to New York Holiday Guide

I found the Gifts Under $50 to be pretty valuable. My top picks (mostly because they're techy and affordable) are as follows:

1. CellStik

2. Smartball

3. Nike + iPod Sport Kit

***Chime in and share your favorite techy gifts for under $50. I'd love to hear about them!***

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Who are you shopping for this season?

Are you searching for the perfect gift for each person on your list? TIME Magazine recently published their Web Shopping Guide 2006 and it's chock full of really cool gifts! Thanks to TIME for coming up with the brilliant gifts, many of which are pretty unique! And, you can find these gifts and more by searching on thefind.com (you knew that was coming, right?).

Have you seen Playaway Audio Books? If not, you're in for a different kind of treat! Or, how about the Ex Voodoo Knife Set? That one's so great (visually) that I had to post a picture of it. If you're shopping for a child or an adult who's young at heart, you'll definitely want to search for My Little Sandbox. Be sure to check out TIME’s list of cool gifts.

Christmas is only 4 short weeks away! I'll be posting more cool finds here to help you through your holiday shopping season. Be sure to check back often.

In the meantime, let me know if there's anything you're looking for that you can't locate. If it's online, we'll find it.

Happy Searching/Shopping!

Payton