Music Brands Grow 26% During Holiday Shopping Period

Music Brands Grow 26% During Holiday Shopping Period

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Musical Instruments were a hit during the height of the holiday shopping season in 2010. Shopatron stores in the Musical Instruments & Accessories industry saw same-store online sales grow 26% year over year in December 2010, finishing with an overall 16% increase for the fourth quarter.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101109/SHOPATRONLOGO)

More than 35 musical instruments and accessories brands have online stores powered by Shopatron retail-integrated eCommerce, working with more than 800 local music shops to fulfill orders online and in stores. Using the Shopatron model, top brands like D'Addario and Ernie Ball are able to capture orders on their branded website and distribute the orders to local, authorized dealers, facilitating numerous delivery methods - including in-store pickup and installation to help drive additional sales for retail partners.

"Music brands typically do well during the holiday season, but a 16% growth rate for the quarter shows the industry as a whole has figured out that online sales are a priority going forward," said Ed Stevens, founder and CEO of Shopatron. "With a retail-integrated system, the best music brands in the business are still able to sell on their branded websites without leaving their trusted dealers in the cold. Selling online also makes life easier on the consumer, particularly when it comes to finding unique music equipment that can be tough to find in traditional marketplaces."

Recent music brands to launch stores on the Shopatron exchange include Melbay and Zildjian.

More than 30 of Shopatron's musical instruments and accessories brands will be on hand at the 2011 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show Jan. 13-16 in Anaheim, Calif. Dealers are encouraged to stop by and speak with their brands or contact Shopatron to find out how they can gain incremental sales through the Shopatron exchange.

ABOUT SHOPATRON

Founded in 2001 in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Shopatron is the No. 1 retail-integrated eCommerce solution for branded manufacturers, distributors and multi-channel retailers. Working with more than 800 manufacturers and 12,000 retail partners across 35 industries, Shopatron meets the unique eCommerce needs of branded manufacturers and multi-channel retailers.

With Shopatron's retail-friendly solution for branded manufacturers, Coex Freedom, brands sell on their website and send orders to retail partners for fulfillment. This solution eliminates channel conflict, builds retailer relationships, grows distribution and increases overall sales. Shopatron's solution for multi-channel retailers, Coex Private, allows retailers to fulfill orders from all inventory centers, enabling in-store pickup capabilities that drive traffic to stores for additional services and sales.

Shopatron clients include top brands such as Callaway Golf, Suzuki, Polaroid, Mizuno, Ducati, JL Audio and Sport Chalet. For more information, call 866-625-5050 or visit ecommerce.shopatron.com.

SOURCE Shopatron

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Shopatron

CONTACT: Micaela Hichborn of Shopatron, Inc., +1-805-269-5200, pr@shopatron.com

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