The Covenant Group, a major supplier of custom branded e-commerce websites for independent Christian retailers, has just announced the release of companion phone apps for both iPhone and Droid, further enhancing the value of each retailer’s website. The new apps, which will be made available to all existing users of the Covenant Group branded website program beginning in early August, offer a store’s customers the opportunity to check the store’s inventory database through their smart phone via search technology that allows for look-up by title, author or other key words, as well as a “scan” feature if the customer has the product in-hand for scanning of the UPC code with their phone. In announcing this landmark release, Chuck Wallington, President of the Covenant Group said, “We envision someone sharing a book over lunch with a friend, and that person taking the book and scanning the bar code to see if their local Christian store has it in stock. Of course, they can also type in the author, title or other key word to locate it as well. Over the last several months of testing it in our retail store, I’ve had dozens of people who asked me “do you have that in your store right now?” very anxious to download it for themselves so that they could search our inventory as well. This app is just one more way that the stores on our branded website program can accommodate letting their customers shop their stores however and whenever they want to…a “must” in today’s economy.” The app also allows the customer to place the item on hold for pick-up in the store, without utilizing any pre-payment, a real benefit that helps confirm the sale for the store at the point at which the customer is most interested in making the purchase. The app search capabilities and database are driven from the website database of each individual store. Stores that utilize Covenant Group’s branded website program have the option of updating their online inventory quantities as often as every two hours; though most opt for only once-a-day updates. “In today’s retail environment, our stores literally need every tool they can get to compete.” Wallington said. He continued, “This is the latest breakthrough in our comprehensive program that ties our users’ monthly catalog mailings to their website to their in-store experience…and now to the very smart phones of their customers.” Covenant Group branded websites offer the advantage of a fully integrated and fully shoppable “digital catalog” each month, website banner ads that are automatically updated to coordinate with each month’s promotions and in-store POP, e-blasts that reinforce the retailer’s catalog mailings on a weekly basis, and now the enhancement of smart phone apps to help tie the customer to their local Christian retailer even more. “We’re all about driving customers into the stores we serve, using any technology we can apply” said Wallington. Covenant Group also offers complete support of all Parable flyers and catalogs through their branded program as well. For more information on this announcement, or any aspect of the Covenant Group program, contact Chuck Wallington at cwallington@covenantgroupstores.com. Covenant Group (864) 587-2637 1600 John B. White Sr. Blvd. Spartanburg, SC 29301 www.covenantgroupstores.com | 