New App Hopes To Create E-Commerce Niche For Local Retailers

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Amazon has changed the way business is done, but not for the better for small business owners. Luckily there's an app for that called Nytch.

A Well-Stocked Home in Woodland is the creation of Kelly Newsom and Rosemarie Leonardi.

"We consider ourselves a curator of lifestyle, plants, specialty gifts," said Newsom.

The two former big-business executives turned small-town entrepreneurs wanted to live and work where they grew up.

"We are really unique to Woodland because we did bring the urban chic feel that you would commonly see in the Bay Area," Newsom said.

Competing with other online businesses and Amazon to connect with customers has proven costly for Newsom.

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"It's labor and manpower," said Newsom.

Inventory changes and so do prices. That's why she signed up for a new app called Nytch created by Grant Lee, who is also a local.

"What Nytch allows small stores to do is compete for local shoppers who might not even know they exist," said Lee.

Here's how it works: Customers complete an online profile and request information about products and services from participating retailers within a certain geographic area.

"When a request comes in we are notified by a ding. And customers provide personal info in their request," Newsom said. "She likes cooking, gardening, plants, cats and wine so I would press the recommend button," said Newsom.

The retailer takes pictures and responds with detailed recommendations including prices.

"So if they're asking for multiple items, I'm going to put a basket together and I'm going to organize it so it's actually something they can visualize giving to the person receiving it," said Newsom.

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It's a concierge level of customer service that night-shift nurse Stacey Trumble needs.

"I can quickly get a curated experience and personalized gifts for friends and family without having to do a lot of the legwork," said Trumble.

Retailers cut costs because they don't have to constantly manage online inventory, instead, they deal with customers in real time one-on-one.

"Even if they decide not to go with a Well-Stocked Home, they've seen our product and experienced our customer service," said Newsom.

She hopes the Nytch experience will create more of a niche for her business in the competitive world of e-Commerce.

Nytch charges retailers 10% per transaction. There are no account creation costs or cancellation costs.