Wednesday, January 31, 2007

n2N Announces Integration Platform

n2N Commerce, Inc. (n2N), Cambridge, MA, has announced a new cross-channel on-demand eCommerce technology platform that will be designed from the ground-up to service large multi-channel retailers.

Victoria’s Secret Direct will power its $1.3 billion annual direct-to-consumer business with n2N’s on-demand software in the second half of 2007.

n2N also announced it has closed on $30 million in initial financing from General Catalyst Partners and Limited Brands, Inc. (NYSE:LTD), which owns Victoria's Secret along with The Limited, Express, Bath & Body Works, Henri Bendel.

According to n2N’s press release, its cross-channel platform will seamlessly integrate eCommerce, call center, and order management applications using Web 2.0 technology and personalization throughout "to create a solution that enables retailers to craft strongly branded consumer experiences across channels." It will be engineered in conjunction with and incorporating technology from n2N partners Demandware, Allurent, and ChoiceStream.

It is unclear from both the press release and conversations with the company just how much actual functionality n2N will provide by itself, and what will be provided by integration partners. It is also puzzling why they chose to announce this now, two weeks after the National Retail Federation show in New York, and at least six months before anything will be going live.

Nickelodeon, GSI Extend Partnership

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Jan. 30 , 2007 - GSI Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: GSIC), a leading provider of eCommerce solutions, and Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, announced a multiyear extension to their eCommerce partnership, which includes Web and order processing technologies, fulfillment, customer care operations, selected paid search and affiliate marketing services.

"With Nickelodeon in almost 92 million homes in the U.S. and our Nick Shop Web site generating 1.3 million visits each month, it’s critical that our eCommerce partner has unparalleled capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our audience. We’re extending our relationship with GSI because [we feel] they are uniquely qualified to meet that challenge," said Lisa Silverman Meyers, vice president of eCommerce, planning and marketing services for Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products.

The eCommerce partnership includes planning and merchandising the product assortment for the highly successful Nickelodeon catalog program, managing direct response campaigns and executing performance-based marketing programs. Nickelodeon’s top eCommerce properties include SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, The Backyardigan’s and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Junction Solutions Acquires Ecommerce Front-End

Junction Solutions, a major provider of direct commerce software and services built on the Microsoft platform, has announced it has agreed to acquire ThePage.com, a privately held provider of eCommerce software based in California. ThePage.com offers state-of-the-art front-end eCommerce software delivered as an on-demand service (SaaS) for retailers looking for sophisticated catalog management, pricing, promotions, content management, coupon management, search, and shopping cart functionality.

The acquired application, which will be known as JunctionEOD, is a scalable, customizable, and proven front-end solution built using the latest technology from Microsoft, including .NET 2.0, SQL Server 2005, and ASP.NET 2.0.

With this acquisition, Junction Solutions adds a significant component to its integrated Retail Product Suite, which includes JunctionISS for in store point-of-sale solutions, JunctionRBI for retail business intelligence, and JunctionMCR, a multi-channel order management and fulfillment solution built on the Microsoft Dynamics AX (formerly Axapta) platform.

Heads-up!! -- Junction Solutions plans to release a brand new SaaS retail integration framework built from the ground up later this year. Watch this space....

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

ProfitCenter Software Announces New User

ProfitCenter Software Inc. (PCS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Systemax Inc. and a provider of Web-based multi-channel direct marketing software, has announced that That Fish Place/That Pet Place went "live" January 10, 2007, on the PCS Profitability Software Suite delivered through an on-demand service model for all sales channels and departments of their company (Web, call center, and POS).

"We have already seen efficiencies with PCS in our retail store operation," stated Rick Amour, Vice President of That Fish Place/That Pet Place. "The retail cashiers are getting extremely fast on the POS, they are doing three transactions on PCS for every one they did on our legacy system."

According to Amour, That Fish Place/That Pet Place chose PCS because of its scalability, ease of use, and depth and breadth of multi-channel marketing functionality that provides an integrated end-to-end solution to streamline processes, increase efficiencies, and completely link all aspects of their business with a single system to better serve their customers.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Escalate Retail Ranked No. 2 on RIS Leaderboard

Escalate Retail, a premier provider of customer-focused software solutions, has announced that RIS News has ranked them Number Two in their Software LeaderBoard '06 issue. This makes the third year in a row that the company has been recognized as one of the Top 3 solutions providers in the retail industry.

"It takes a deep understanding of the retail industry and a major determination to meet customer needs to score in the top three of the LeaderBoard, and Escalate should be congratulated on its achievement coming in at number two" said Joe Skorupa, Group Editor-in-Chief of RIS News magazine. "From the high scores Escalate Retail received in this year's ranking, after the GERS and Ecometry merger, it is obvious that new and old customers alike hold this company's products and services in high regard."

Retailers also rated Escalate Retail among the Top 10 solutions providers in:

* Customer Satisfaction
* Quality of Support & Service
* Product Reliability
* ROI and TCO
* Overall Performance
* Integration & Installation
* Administration & Maintenance
* Retail Concentration & Revenue Factor

Escalate Retail is a premier provider of sales, merchandising, and loyalty solutions for retailers, e-tailers, and direct marketers. Version 9.0 of their software modules, including eCommerce, Clienteling and Order Management, feature enhanced interoperability and cross-channel optimization.

New Auto Parts Direct Commerce System

In development for two years, "RPM" from Core Technologies is based on their MailWare mail order software system, but heavily modified to fit the needs of the direct commerce auto parts and auto restoration industry. See www.rpm-software.com

Ghirardelli Deploys CORESense

CORESense announced last week that Ghirardelli, America’s longest continuously operating chocolate manufacturer, has deployed CORESense to manage its e-commerce, telephone and catalog retail operations.

Ghirardelli is using CORESense for its centralized product catalog, order fulfillment, inventory management, and customer relationship management functionality. Orders that come through the web site, telephone or catalog are processed the same way, using the same CORESense system.

CORESense delivers On-Demand Multi-Channel Retail Management Software to the small and mid-sized business market for:

* Multi-Channel Management
* Order Fulfillment
* Inventory and Supplier Management
* Customer Relationship Management

GSI Commerce and Rockport Extend Contract

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Jan. 23 , 2007 - GSI Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: GSIC), a leading provider of eCommerce solutions, and Rockport, a pioneer and global leader in the premium lifestyle footwear industry, announced a multi-year extension to their eCommerce agreement, which includes Web technology, logistics, customer care and marketing services.

Since partnering with GSI in 2003, several features have been added to Rockport’s Web store including product picks by Rockport staff and a personal shopper merchandising feature that gives customers the option to shop and navigate based on products attributes outside of gender. Recently, GSI provided Rockport’s Web store with an updated look and feel and coordinated branding.

GSI Commerce is a leading provider of eCommerce solutions that enable about 30 partner retailers, branded manufacturers, entertainment companies and professional sports organizations to operate eCommerce businesses on an integrated platform comprised of three components: technology, logistics and customer care, and marketing services.

Monday, January 22, 2007

PCS Signs Current USA

ProfitCenter Software Inc. (PCS), a provider of Web-based, on-demand software for multichannel and direct marketing merchants, has announced that Current USA, America's largest direct marketer of personalized paper products, gifts, and home decorating items, has signed an agreement for the deployment of the PCS Profitability Software Suite across their multichannel businesses from marketing and sales to fulfillment and accounting.

Sigma to Resell MAS 500

Sigma Micro, developer of the new SigmaCommerce integrated order management and fulfillment solution for catalog, Ecommerce, call center and point of sale direct marketers, has announced it has added Sage MAS 500 Core Financials modules as part of their software solution for small and mid-sized companies.

Sage Software is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading international supplier of accounting and business management software solutions and related products and services for small and mid-sized businesses.

Junction Solutions Acquires POS Solution

Junction Solutions has announced it has agreed to acquire ISS Retail, a privately held provider of point-of-sale (POS) software for large retailers based on Microsoft .NET and the Windows Server platform.

This acqusition is part of Junction Solutions’s efforts to release a new Web Services-oriented retail integration framework built from the ground up on Windows Vista and Microsoft .NET 3.0 at mid-year.

The newly branded JunctionISS product, formerly TouchPoint POS, is a browser-based, optional-touch, GUI POS and back office suite of applications designed to offer retailers a flexible, scaleable and standards-based solution developed using advanced Microsoft .NET technologies and compliant with standards set by ARTS, (the Association for Retail Technology Standards) and the Microsoft Smarter Retailing initiative. JunctionISS technologies have been implemented at some of the most well known retailers in the United States with thousands of store locations. Customer American Kiosk Management has JunctionISS installed in over 5,000 locations in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Junction Solutions Releases JunctionMCR 4.1

Lincolnshire, IL - January 12, 2007 - Junction Solutions today announced JunctionMCR Version 4.1 for multi-channel retailers, built on the recently released Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 ERP solution. The focus of the Version 4.1 release is to enhance order management and inventory handling functionality as well as increasing security to prevent internal and external fraud opportunities. Taxation functions have also been extended to integrate to industry standard external tax calculation software for more flexibility and governmental compliance standards.

Key enhancements for JunctionMCR Version 4.1 include:

. RMA / returns processing
. Mail order batches
. Fraud checking
. Detailed order status
. Expedited and priority orders
. Boxing logic
. Picking workbench improvements
. Substitute items
. High volume shipping
. Multiple letter templates by division

In addition:
. Scalability enhancements support thousands of concurrent users running multiple-terabyte databases using Microsoft SQL Server 2005
. New Application Integration Framework (AIF) and Web Services adapters enabling secure B2B and application integration
. Native Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) support
. Microsoft .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR) interoperability

Monday, January 15, 2007

CommercialWare Launches Java Powered Cross-Channel Retail Solution

Natick, MA—January 15, 2007—CommercialWare, Inc., a leading provider of cross-channel commerce solutions for retailers, today announced CWSerenade, a next-generation, Java-based solution that delivers cross-channel order management, customer service and fulfillment functionality enabling retailers and direct marketers to transact and support their customers at all touchpoints from one integrated solution.

"Many retailers are moving toward open-source technologies and with that in mind, CommercialWare developed CWSerenade with all of the best practices and knowledge we’ve gained over the years working closely with our customers and partners," said Jane Cannon, chief operating officer at CommercialWare. "With the delivery of CWSerenade, CommercialWare and Datavantage applications now share a common platform, allowing us to deliver CWSerenade, Xstore, Relate Retail CRM, Analytics and Enterprise Java Merchandising all on the same infrastructure."

CWSerenade is a feature-rich solution with seven comprehensive modules to address the cross-channel retailer’s need for order management, fulfillment, customer service, warehousing/inventory control, merchandising, marketing and finance. These modules share a common database that provides real-time visibility to all customer and inventory information through the entire transaction lifecycle. It allows the retailer to collect and manage transaction details from all channels in real-time so information is accessible to deliver a channel transparent experience for the customer.

MK Capital Invests $7.5 MM in Junction Solutions

Lincolnshire, IL - January 15, 2007 - Following a 100% revenue growth year in 2006, Junction Solutions, a provider of multi-channel retail and food-and-beverage enterprise software applications based on the Microsoft Dynamics/AX platform, today announced that it has secured a $7.5 million investment from lead investor MK Capital, one of the largest software venture capital investors in the Midwest.

The funds will be used to expand Junction Solutions’ software portfolio and customer support resources for its 360-degree multi-channel retail and food & beverage processing applications for medium and large enterprises.

Thursday, January 04, 2007

CommercialWare In RIS Top 10

Datavantage/CommercialWare, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc., and a leading provider of retail technology for specialty retail, general merchandise, and cross-channel commerce solutions, has announced that it has broken into the coveted Top 10 for best retail software vendors on the 7th annual RIS LeaderBoard, scored by RIS News, one of the most influential retail technology publications.

The RIS LeaderBoard represents a who’s who in the retail software industry, from niche players to some of the world’s largest software companies.

Datavantage/CommercialWare serve a combined customer base of over 450 brands and retailers and deliver complementary solutions to many common customers including Abercrombie & Fitch, J.Jill, Ritz Camera, Patagonia, Jos. A. Bank and Frederick’s of Hollywood.
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