Download Nicholas Amoroso Match Maker

E-beat
Match Maker
Promoboxx has launched
an incentive program
built to reward retailers’
digital marketing efforts
with local ad dollars.
Storeowners frustrated
by the rules and reimbursement
paperwork behind digital co-op
advertising may soon have
reason to rejoice. Boston-based
startup Promoboxx has launched Match, a service that offers
brands a quick and easy way to reward their retail partners’
online marketing efforts with local mobile ads. The goal, says
Promoboxx CEO and Co-Founder Ben Carcio, is to disrupt the
outdated system currently in place for how local retailers are
compensated for digitally promoting the brands they carry.
Despite the move to online advertising, most manufacturers
have been slow to adapt their co-op programs to the new format,
meaning that brands provide financial incentives to retailers for
digital the same way they do for such physical ads as billboards
and newsprint: Retailers aren’t compensated right away and
must go through a paperwork process to get their money back. By
forcing retailers to front the cost, brands further tighten the cash
flow for independents, meaning that many small businesses don’t
utilize the co-op dollars available to them, which in turn limits
local exposure and sales for both parties.
That’s where Match comes in. Once a retailer takes marketing
action on Promoboxx on behalf of a brand—such as sharing a
pre-created campaign or product launch on social media, in an
e-mail or adding a banner to their website—the store can then
immediately redeem its reward: hyper-local mobile ads targeting
consumers within driving distance of the business. “We’re
providing retailers with marketing materials that they may not
otherwise have the time or resources to create, and enabling them
to interact and engage with social media and also drive traffic
to their stores,” offers Emily Tuggle, community manager for
Mizuno U.S.A., which has been testing out the program, along
with Reebok and Timberland, among others.
Carcio reports that participating brands are experiencing
strong increases in retailer and consumer engagement. In
particular, consumer in-store traffic has reportedly doubled
since the program’s launch. As Cassie Heppner, North America
marketing director for Timberland points out, “It’s a great way
to advertise outside the retail space and reach consumers on
their mobile devices, which is where they’re spending most of
their time anyway.” Now Promoboxx is working on expanding
Match rewards for Facebook, Twitter and additional paid media
channels. “By rewarding the brand’s retailer network with local ad
dollars, both the brand and retailer benefit from increased local
exposure to nearby customers,” Carcio says. —Lyndsay McGregor
52 footwearplusmagazine.com • december 2014
Buyer Chat
Nicholas Amoroso
Ami Clubwear
It’s a well-known fact that
many business deals are brokered
on the golf course. For Nicholas
Amoroso, who spent six years
working as a caddy at Sherwood
Country Club in Thousand Oaks,
CA, the opportunity to walk the
greens with corporate bigwigs was a
valuable education. “From CEOs and
hedge fund managers to celebrities
and pro athletes, I got a chance to
pick the brains of all of them,” he
says. “I think I learned more in those
six years listening to their stories
and how they made it than I ever
could have in a college classroom.”
So one summer when his wife
decided to make a pair of white fur
boots because no one was carrying
them, his business acumen kicked
in and, in 2004, the Ami Clubwear
online retail site was born. Carrying
clothing, footwear, handbags
and accessories for trend-hungry
young women shopping on a
budget, Amoroso says the Industry,
CA-based digital dealer prides itself
“on having every style in every color.”
The site is updated with a whopping
200 new shoes on a daily basis,
carrying its eponymous private label
as well as select styles from the likes
of Steve Madden, Alba, Bamboo,
Qupid, Liliana, Privileged and more.
“No matter what big brand you are
interested in, we have something
that looks very similar at a very
affordable price,” he says, but is
quick to add, “No one wants to deal
with returns, so I try hard to only
bring in high-quality shoes.”
Though some styles, like thighhigh lace-up stiletto boots or multiprinted platform pumps teetering on
6.5-inch heels, are not for the faint
of heart, the e-tailer also stocks a
wide selection of riding boots, basic
flats and pointy toe oxfords. And
while some e-tailers are starting to
test the brick-and-mortar waters,
Amoroso says that’s not in the cards
for Ami Clubwear—or, at least, not
yet. “For us, the Internet was the
beginning and that has always been
our focus,” he says. —L.M.
What’s your buying philosophy?
I believe we should have something
for everyone and the only way to do
that is to buy one of everything.
What are the site’s key trends for
Spring ’15? Gladiator heels, wedges
and sandals.
What about key colors? As always,
pastels and florals will be key for
everyone but for Ami, pink is our
thing. We will have 10-plus shades of
pink in our spring collection.
What trend have you seen enough
of ? I hate the vintage-inspired
trend. Something is either vintage or
it’s not.
What’s your favorite part of your
job? The hustle.