Galleria Launches Promotional Display Optimization™ Solution

Business Wire, Jan 5, 2009

- New solution automates store-specific displays to ensure effective promotions while providing double-digit sales lifts-

CHICAGO -- Galleria Retail Technology Solutions today launched its automated Promotional Display Optimization[TM] solution, a new technology that enables retailers to generate thousands of store-specific end-cap display plans to optimize inventory for every promotion. With the ability to create automated plans on a store-by-store basis, users will experience increased sales, improved in-store execution and reduced end-of-promotion inventory. Easy to implement, the solution can begin providing benefits in a matter of weeks.

According to the January 2009 AMR Research article, "Galleria's Promotion Display Optimization Allows Individuality, Sales Lifts Even as Belts Tighten," by Kevin Sterneckert, Galleria's solution streamlines and optimizes a retailer's promotional display planning activities through techniques that allow merchants to plan displays according to local consumer preferences.

"Retailers who are using this new solution are experiencing double-digit sales lifts for promotional display items and double-digit reduction of ending inventory," explained Sterneckert. "With belts tightening everywhere, accomplishing sales increases with fewer inventory dollars is a benefit that should not be overlooked."

To ensure inventory optimization, Galleria's solution includes key features such as the ability to select store-specific items, guaranteeing that all merchandise meets local demand. Retailers also have the ability to produce precise planograms using a template that reflects individual store allocation and assortment needs but still maintains the centralized promotion strategy. Because the solution collects data from all plans centrally, customers will be able to continuously analyze their strategic approach to determine what works best. Furthermore, Galleria's Promotional Display Optimization solution includes advanced analytics capabilities enabling customers to determine which categories will perform best on end-cap displays.

The capabilities required for Promotional Display Optimization can be leveraged through simple interconnected processes from a retailer's internal resources or as a service from Galleria. For example, retailers can utilize an existing forecasting method or use Galleria's Rapid Forecast[TM] approach to incorporate factors such as product performance, trends and seasonality. Users can also employ their existing manual space plan application or Galleria's to ensure the display strategy is consistent across all plans and enables local flexibility. In addition, final display plans can either be sent to stores in a PDF format or translated to comply with existing databases and publishing systems. This publishing feature will also populate Galleria's reporting database to enable cross-planogram and cross-promotion analysis.

"During these challenging economic times, retailers are relying on promotions more than ever to drive sales," said Doug Erickson, executive vice president of global sales and marketing, Galleria. "Our Promotional Display Optimization solution provides retailers with the tools necessary to quickly and efficiently optimize all promotions to ensure successful execution and a return on investment."

About Galleria Retail Technology Solutions

Galleria is the leading provider of customer-centric merchandising solutions. Galleria's solutions provide value by integrating with a retailer's existing systems and resources to deliver the right product to the right stores in the right capacity. The net result is that retailers realize significant benefits including increased sales, enhanced margins, reduced waste/mark-down and accelerated inventory turns. Galleria currently works with customers including Tesco, Food Lion, Hannaford Bros, Giant Eagle and several of the world's top 20 retailers. It is currently engaged in six implementations of its merchandise planning solution in large-scale live retail environments. For more information about Galleria, visit www.galleria-rts.com or dial 1-866-899-0852.