New Channels in 2009 for Best-in-Class Retailers

Best-in-Class Companies Are 96% More Likely Than Their Peers to Possess an Executive Mandate to Develop New Channels


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - March 17, 2009) - Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), surveyed 120 retail enterprises between December 2008 and January 2009 to determine the current state of multi-channel retailing, and the future implementation of the digital and mobile channels. Aberdeen data reveals that Best-in-Class companies are 96% more likely than their peers to possess an executive mandate to develop new channels. The top strategic action being undertaken by 52% of Best-in-Class retailers for multi-channel deployment is to create product offers and services for all channels of operations.

To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com//summary/report/benchmark/5650-RA-mulit-channel-retailing.asp

The research data shows that continued evolution in customer content consumption habits and channel affinity is dictating new digital and multi-channel retail initiatives. The high-touch and high-involvement shopping environments such as consumer electronics, apparel, luxury, department stores, and other specialty segments are ideal entrants in this shift towards "a digital customer."

A third of Best-in-Class retailers are also developing programs for new channels, such as the mobile channel, at a higher level than Industry Average and Laggard companies. "Despite the fact that such programs have so far had greater success and scalability in some Asia-Pacific and European Union countries, the emergence of new retail channels such as mobile does enable the retailer's ability to serve an untapped customer base or buying affinity of existing customers," says Sahir Anand, senior analyst and chief author of the digital and multi-channel retailing report.

The multi-channel retailing experience continues to grow as consumers needs and wants change. Last year's multi-channel report indicated that the top pressure facing retailers was the need to increase cross-channel shopping. This year, there has been a shift in pressures, with the number one pressure being the need to address rapid changes in customer needs and preferences for sales channels. While this pressure is uniform across all retailers, 61% of Best-in-Class retailers are feeling the pressure more so. The top strategic action being undertaken by Best-in-Class retailers for multi-channel deployment is to create product offers and services for all channels of operations (52%). These companies are 50% more likely than Industry Average and Laggards to create these offers and services across all channels. This enables the multi-channel brand to acquire a unified look, feel, and experience for customers. "In 2008, Best-in-Class retailers were 1.5 times more likely than Laggards to adopt company hosted blogs with reviews, rich media product presentations, social media monitoring, social networking tools, customer feedback, and user-generated content. The rapid evolution in customer buying behavior has meant that retailers are compelled to make adjustments of content, pricing, marketing, and media spend," says Anand.

A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: Microsoft, Cegid, Cactus Commerce, and Crossview. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com//summary/report/benchmark/5650-RA-mulit-channel-retailing.asp

For additional access to complimentary Retail Research, please visit http://research.aberdeen.com/index.php/-retail

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.

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Contact Information: Media Contact: Sahir Anand Aberdeen Harte-Hanks Sahir.Anand@aberdeen.com Chris Cunnane Aberdeen Harte-Hanks Chris.Cunnane@aberdeen.com