BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - September 10, 2008) - Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS),
surveyed 100 enterprises in July 2008 to determine how Best-in-Class
companies optimally manage merchandise, customers, and data as key
determinants for driving successful holiday business. Aberdeen data reveals
that 55% of leading retailers see the need to counter competitive selling
strategies as the top holiday pressure. To try and outpace their
competitors, 50% of leading retailers are using such advanced online tools
as search and comparative shopping tools, dynamic web content management,
online analytics, and social marketing tools. To obtain a complimentary
copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5292.
Another key finding of the report is the use of pre-peak season system
diagnostics. "These content-rich, immersive sites are compelling, but
require more bandwidth than standard, static pages. In order to avoid
costly down time, leading retailers are taking a preemptive approach, and
measuring system capacity against site application demands," according to
Ben Ream, Retail Analyst.
If diagnostics for capacity are the precursor, the features and
applications themselves are the end result. The Web has risen in
importance in nearly all facets of commerce, not just ecommerce. Realizing
this shift in power and influence, leading retailers are quickly striving
to use their Web site as an interactive, personalized branding tool.
Senior Retail Analyst Sahir Anand sums up this digital land-grab by noting,
"These capabilities and enablers improve site and channel traffic handling,
merchandising and replenishment optimization, loyalty offer enablement, and
seamless execution of cross-selling, up-selling, and customer service
programs from order to customer delivery and fulfillment."
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the
following underwriters: Art Technology Group (ATG), Akamai, Accenture, and
Adobe Scene 7. This report was also supported by Retail Touchpoints, Media
Week, Retail Wire, and Wise Marketer. To obtain a complimentary copy of the
report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5292.
To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.
© 2008 AberdeenGroup, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617)854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Ben Ream
Retail Analyst
Ben.Ream@aberdeen.com
(617) 854-5200
Sahir Anand
Senior Retail Analyst
Sahir.Anand@aberdeen.com
(617) 854-5200