December 2011 stands proof to the portal's good health and highlights the whole setup's dynamism: almost 1,400,000 hits were recorded with a record high (for the site) of approximately 3,600,000 pages viewed. During this month-a crucial one for retail-the online turnover was also up 15.24% whilst sales volumes increased by 11.90% as compared to December 2010.

AchatVille combines neighborhood facilities with e-commerce to enhance the value of stores' offerings and help them develop their commercial activity through "cross-channel" principles: combining store sales with an online showcase or store.

Presenting your business, products and services to 12 million Internet users every year

Over 6 million pages, containing store contact details and information were viewed in 2011. A convenient feature for AchatVille visitors since 37% of them* claim that they use the site to look up local stores.
Stores can also use AchatVille to present their products and services and thus, increase both visibility and activity in a more aggressive manner. They can even allow Internet users to buy products online.

Boosting local trade

49%** of stores declared that AchatVille helped them generate physical store visits: an observation confirmed by Internet users* themselves, who when asked about site use, confided that 73% of them navigated to one of the setup's sites before actually going to the store for a purchase. Over a year, we thus noted a 49% increase in store pick-up and 34% of questioned Internet users said that they buy exclusively locally.
AchatVille is a true showcase for neighborhood stores and plays its local portal role perfectly, strengthening store activity. A success that explains why 95%** of AchatVille members recommend the setup to other stores!

"AchatVille is a great communication tool, this portal ensures visibility on the Web and low-cost initial SEO" says Jean Paul Hasseler, AchatVille Governance Committee President.

An ambitious big e-commerce site

We have noted that on AchatVille, Internet user needs and behavior are the same as for major e-commerce sites: 28% are looking for deals, 20% are there for price comparison purposes, 22% are looking for original or specific products. For 53% of them, AchatVille helps save time whilst 45% of them use it to access a products catalog*.

Mobile AchatVille

The use of smartphones has given rise to another major challenge. On AchatVille, 39% of polled Internet users have a smartphone and use it on a daily basis. Increased interest in AchatVille's mobile version is confirmed by a +34% traffic growth over 2011's last quarter. Today, the mobile version of the AchatVille setup covers a quarter of the French territory. It allows mobile Internet users to locate the nearest stores as well as view any interesting local activities/deals they may want to take advantage of.

"Through AchatVille, we wish to bring digital opportunities to stores to help them develop their business activity. Adapting to the evolution in Internet use is essential, whether it be in terms of social media, multiple terminals use (computer, smartphone, tablet, screen) or customer paths: Web, Web to store or in store" says Agnès Simonnet, AchatVille co-manager at Eolas.

* survey based on a sample of 2,735 Internet users
* survey based on a sample of 235 AchatVille member stores
*** AchatVille mobile platforms list on mobile.achatville.com

About AchatVille
AchatVille is a setup put in place by 38 Chambers of Commerce and Industry that helps increase stores' visibility on the Internet. It currently features 313,000 store addresses, 2,800 of which have chosen to digitally showcase their products. Today, AchatVille groups more than 130 territorial portals and a national site, Achatville.com. Both an e-commerce site and a community media that promotes local traditional trade, AchatVille's reputation and dynamism are growing. The site is now recognized as an important player in French e-commerce.
www.achatville.com

About Business & Decision Eolas and Business & Decision
Eolas is the Web operator for the AchatVille setup. A Business & Decision Group subsidiary,
Business & Decision Eolas is an Internet specialist with expertise in hosting, digital marketing and application design. Eolas helps ensure the success of numerous e-commerce, e-administration and e-business customer projects.
For more information, please visit http://www.businessdecision-eolas.com.

Business & Decision is an international Consulting and Systems Integration (CSI) company. It is a leader in Business Intelligence (BI) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and a major player in e-Business, Enterprise Information Management (EIM), Enterprise Solutions as well as Management Consulting.
Located in 19 countries, Business & Decision currently employs more than 2800 people in France and worldwide.

Press contact

Delphine Boudaud
Business & Decision
+33 1 56 33 50 56
delphine.boudaud@businessdecision.com

Audrey Dryjski
Business & Decision Eolas
communication@eolas.fr