Monday, July 23, 2007

Dr. Schulze’s Selects CWSerenade

Datavantage/CommercialWare, a wholly owned subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc. and a leading provider of retail technology for the specialty and general merchandise retail industry, has announced that its Java-based CWSerenade solution is providing Dr. Schulze’s American Botanical Pharmacy, based in Marina Del Rey, CA, with order management and fulfillment functionality as well as personalized customer service.

With the implementation of CWSerenade, Dr. Schulze’s American Botanical Pharmacy, which ships 1,000 packages per day on average, is able to accept, fulfill and handle all changes to customer orders, gaining greater cross-channel efficiency, scalability, and improving the customer experience.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Google Offers Low-Cost Site Search

For as little as $100 a year, Google will provide site search in a new offering targeting small businesses, including retailers. The site search box can be customized and the ads Google serves up can be blocked.

Called "Google Customer Search Business Edition," the $100 service covers searching on up to 5,000 web pages, going up to $500 annually for searching as many as 50,000 pages.

Google says setting up the hosted service is a three-step process that takes less than 10 minutes.

Google also offers more sophisticated site search engines, including the Google Mini, which starts at $1,995 per year and includes hardware as well as software.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

CommercialWare, Users Win Kudos

Datavantage/CommercialWare, a wholly owned subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc., and a provider of multi-channel technology for the specialty and general merchandise retail industry, has announced that the Company and many of its customers have recently received numerous industry acknowledgements from leading publications and organizations.

In Apparel magazine’s "Top 50 Software Scorecard" in the May 2007 issue, Datavantage/CommercialWare earned the highest score in Overall Satisfaction as well as the number six position overall in the retail software category.

“Of the approximately 160 apparel- and retail-specific software firms invited to participate in the project, just 50 qualified for inclusion in our Scorecard report,” said Kathleen DesMarteau, Apparel’s editor in chief. “So those firms who made the cut have truly demonstrated their excellence in serving our industry.”

The March issue of Catalog Success featured the fifth-annual exclusive ranking of U.S.-based catalogers with the speediest recent housefile growth rates, defined as how many new customers catalogers add. Sur la Table was awarded the number one spot and is among many Datavantage/CommercialWare customers in the Top 200 ranking including: #14 Edwin Watts, #29 Van Bourgondien, #40 J.Jill, #45 Jos. A. Banks, #51 Pendelton, #56 Avenue (United Retail Group), #66 Appleseeds, #85 Aerosoles, #97 Garnet Hill, #108 Park Seed, #131 Boston Proper, and #196 Flax Art.

Several Datavantage/CommercialWare customers were named as finalists in Multichannel Merchant's MCM Awards including J.C. Whitney & Co. (Print Channel, Cross-Channel and Web Channel), Patagonia (Print Channel) and Sundance (Web Channel). The judges named finalists in 17 categories from more than 200 entries.

Peruvian Connection was one of 10 retailers selected as a Mid Market All-Star in the May issue of RIS News. As stated in the RIS News – Mid-Market All Stars 2007 article, “They may not all be at a mall near you, or housed in a behemoth big-box store, but [these] 10 midsize retailers are all achieving impressive marketplace success and growth in year-over-year revenue gains. Beginning with a strong retailing concept, these retailers are taking their initial success to the next level by building up their brands, expanding geographically, fine-tuning business processes and investing in IT as a key enabler of critical initiatives and goals.”

For the fourth year in a row, CommercialWare has also been awarded the Garnet Hill True North Award, an annual tribute to core business partners. The award was established four years ago for its vendor community and recognizes those partners that provide superior service and value to its business.

We already noted that Datavantage/CommercialWare was recognized as a Top 10 best retail software vendor in the 7th Annual RIS LeaderBoard, scored by RIS News. In addition, the Company was voted the preferred retail software POS (point-of-sale) vendor with the highest adoption of STORES Magazine’s Hot 100 Retailers reported in the Eighth Annual POS Benchmarking Survey, an independent study prepared by LakeWest Group. I assume this last honor applies more to the Datavantage tools than to CommercialWare's....

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

PRIAM Signs Two New Accounts

We cover the UK as well as the US, and across the pond Waterford Crystal, which has used the PRIAM solution for their shops and international mail order, selected PRIAM's EPOS solution for the Edinburgh Crystal concession which they acquired at the Royal Worcester centre. The local EPOS system implemented is linked directly to the back office order management system in Ireland, with no local management of the EPOS system required and all reporting and re-ordering managed instantaneously in Waterford.

In other PRIAM news, Transair Pilot Shop, Europe's largest supplier of pilot flight equipment and aviation accessories, has commissioned PRIAM to develop their new eCommerce Website.

Over the past 10 years Transair has used PRIAM to successfully expand their multi-channel retail business. Now in their 21st year of trading, Transair despatch over 80,000 orders each year to more than 100 countries worldwide, as well as run four successful retail outlets.

PRIAM's eCommerce functionality will enable them to integrate their Website seamlessly with their back-office PRIAM order management system. This upgrade will further enhance Transair's established customer service, a key to its ongoing success.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Junction Gets Top Dynamics AX Certification

Junction Solutions has announced that Microsoft has certified its JunctionMCR software for multi-channel retailers to its highest standard for partner developed software solutions, making it one of only three software solutions to meet the new Microsoft standard.

JunctionMCR achieved certification by passing the new Microsoft Dynamics software compatibility test and securing recommendations from at least ten customer references. Certification was only possible because Junction Solutions is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner to begin with, and has a Microsoft Support Plan service agreement. [Huh? I know, sounds confusing, but that's the way it is, as Cronkite would say.]

"We have worked hard to develop solutions that are completely embedded within Microsoft Dynamics AX rather than being connected or add-ons in this initial phase of this program," said Greg Penn, Vice President of Product Development. "We’re proud to be one of only three Microsoft Dynamics AX solutions to attain certification, and the only one completely embedded within Microsoft Dynamics AX."

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer relationship and supply chain management solutions delivered through a network of channel partners providing specialized services. Dyanamics business management solutions all work like and with familiar Microsoft software to manage processes across an entire business.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

NetSuite Files IPO, Reports Losses

According to Channel Web Networks newsletter:

"...NetSuite Monday filed for an IPO intended to raise up to $75 million. The registration statement offers the first detailed look at NetSuite's finances, shining light on its history of losses and on the deep hold Oracle CEO Larry Ellison retains on NetSuite.

"NetSuite, based in San Mateo, Calif., reported revenue of $67.2 million for 2006, an 85 percent increase on the $36.4 million it took in a year earlier. Its net loss in 2006 was $23.4 million. Founded in 1998, NetSuite has operated at a loss since its inception.

"As of March 31, the end of its first fiscal quarter of 2007, NetSuite had 5,300 active customers. It did not disclose how many end-user subscribers it currently supports.

"...NetSuite's ongoing losses were ... unexpected. NetSuite has for years implied in the press that it is profitable or very close to it, and partners were getting the same message...

"The vast majority of NetSuite's shares are owned by Ellison, who financed the company's creation in late 1998 to develop on-demand ERP and CRM services. The ties between NetSuite and Oracle run deep: Ellison and his private investment group, Tako Ventures, currently control 74 percent of the company, and NetSuite's two top executives, CEO Zach Nelson and CTO/Chairman Evan Goldberg, spent time in Oracle's executive ranks.

"The ownership overlap between NetSuite and Oracle could cause conflict-of-interest issues between the potential rivals. Like the rest of the ERP field, Oracle would like to deepen its footprint in the small- and midsize business market in which NetSuite specializes. It also now owns Siebel CRM OnDemand, a NetSuite competitor."
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