• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, February 19, 2013

Putting its cache of consumer data to use, comparison-shopping site Shopzilla on Tuesday debuted a new media solutions and audience-targeting division.
 
Named Aisle A, the unit encompasses a range of new features, including better audience targeting, rich media and display advertising. According to Craig Teich, Aisle A's vice president and GM, the move into display advertising is a no-brainer for Shopzilla.
 
“Our shopping experiences touch consumers across the entire shopping ecosystem -- from discovery to price comparison to purchase and fulfillment,” said Teich. “This not only provides us with deep perspective on what drives online shoppers today, but also furnishes clear intent signals.”
 
At the helm of Aisle A, Teich is spearheading Shopzilla’s intent-based marketing initiatives, which he promises will provide highly targeted advertising solutions for marketers.

The Aisle A initiative includes display advertising across Shopzilla’s owned and operated shopping sites, including Beso, Bizrate, Retrevo, and Shopzilla -- as well as premium partners across the Web.
 
Worldwide, Shopzilla already boasts a consumer reach of over 40 million monthly shoppers, said Teich.

In one early test, which lasted a month, Aisle A was found to boost click-through rates by 28%, and a control segment with no targeting by nearly 200%. When it came to posting click metrics, Aisle A data drove 95% more deep funnel engagements than the other segments, Shopzilla found.
 
Thinking outside the retail box, data-rich ecommerce brands are increasingly investing in online advertising.
 
Just last month, for example, Rockbridge Growth Equity acquired Triad Retail Media. Founded in 2004, Triad has made a good business of placing ads on retailers’ Web sites, including those operated by Walmart, Sam’s Club, eBay, Toys “R” Us and CVS, along with more recent additions like HomeDepot.com and Shopping.com.
 
Along with rivals like Akamai's Acerno and OwnerIQ, Triad is also recognized as a pioneer in the collection of online shopping data.