SEATTLE, WA, Feb 05 (MARKET WIRE) --
Mercent(TM), a provider of online marketing technology and services for retail
merchants, today announced that 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLWS), the
world's leading florist and multi-channel retailer, has selected Mercent's
hosted software service to increase online sales. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM(R) joins the
growing list of top retail brands that utilize Mercent's on-demand platform,
Mercent Retail(TM), to maximize online sales, profits, and merchandising control
through leading online marketing channels. Mercent is responsible for all
shopping
feed marketing programs for the company's family of brands.
"Mercent demonstrated superior technology and industry-leading talent during
our
product feed management vendor selection process," said Michael Kildale,
Director
of Interactive Marketing at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. "We closely evaluated
alternatives in the online product marketing space, but Mercent's
capabilities made our decision easy."
For more than 30 years, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM has been providing customers
around the
world with the freshest flowers and finest selection of plants, gift baskets,
gourmet foods, confections and plush stuffed animals perfect for every occasion.
1-800-FLOWERS.COM offers the best of both worlds: exquisite, florist-designed
arrangements individually created by some of the world's top floral artists
and hand-delivered the same day, and spectacular flowers shipped overnight
from its "Fresh From Our Growers(SM) Collection."
1-800-FLOWERS.COM ranks No. 34 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to
Retail Web Sites. During the 2007 fiscal year, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM generated net
income of $17.1 million on sales of $912.6 million, with web sales accounting
for approximately 55% of total sales. More than 6.6 million e-commerce customers
placed orders during the fiscal year, with repeat customers representing 47.7%
of the total. The company also attracted approximately 3.5 million new
e-commerce
customers in fiscal 2007.
"Mercent looks forward to increasing 1-800-FLOWERS.COM's online customer
reach and
advertising efficiency," said Eric Best, CEO of Mercent. "Mercent ensures that
1-800-FLOWERS.COM's offers are visible and competitive everywhere that shoppers
evaluate and purchase products online."
Mercent Retail allows e-tailers and multi-channel retailers to effectively
promote
and sell products to more than 200 million shoppers through the Mercent
Shopping Network, an advertising program that connects merchants to 50
leading shopping channels through one low-cost, single point of integration.
Mercent-integrated transactional online marketplaces include Amazon.com,
Buy.com,
eBay Express, SHOP.COM, and the Shopping.com Cart Program. The Mercent
Shopping Network also includes leading referral-based shopping portals such as
Shopping.com and Shopzilla, and affiliate marketing programs such as LinkShare
and
Performics. Mercent Retail provides turnkey data integration with leading
analytics and paid search platforms including Coremetrics and Omniture. Mercent
offers technology and services through a pay-for-performance pricing model.
Information regarding Mercent Retail shopping feed management technology,
Mercent
Performance marketing services, and the complete list of online marketing
channels
in the Mercent Shopping Network are available at www.mercent.com
For an in-person demo next week, stop by Mercent Booth #83 at eTail 2008,
February 11 - 14 in Palm Desert, CA. Contact 206 832 3900 or
sales@mercent.com for more information.
About Mercent
Founded by veterans of Amazon.com, Mercent provides online marketing
technology and
services to help retail merchants optimize performance across online channels.
Mercent's on-demand platform, Mercent Retail, increases revenue and gross
margins
by promoting the right products with the right merchandising offers and
placement. Mercent Retail provides a single point of integration between
existing retail management systems and more than 50 leading online marketing
channels including transactional marketplaces such as Amazon.com and SHOP.COM,
shopping
portals such as Shopping.com and Shopzilla, and affiliate marketing programs
such as LinkShare and Performics -- making it easy for merchants to automate,
measure,
and optimize online product merchandising campaigns through these channels.
Mercent customers include Benefit Cosmetics, REI, GUESS?, Bass Pro Shops,
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Redcats Group, Celebrate Express, Levenger, and other leading
retailers. Mercent is an Amazon.com Certified System Integrator, Buy.com Gold
Certified Partner, and SHOP.COM Certified Data Feed Provider. Mercent is
venture-funded and based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit
www.mercent.com.
About 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. is the world's leading florist and a provider of
specialty gifts for all occasions. For more than 30 years, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM,
Inc. has been providing customers with fresh flowers and the finest selection
of plants, gift baskets, gourmet foods, confections and plush stuffed animals
perfect
for every occasion. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM(R) (1-800-356-9377 or
www.1800flowers.com), named one of
the top 50 online retailers by Internet Retailer and the recipient of ICMI's
2006 Global Call Center of the Year Award, offers the best of both worlds:
exquisite,florist-designed arrangements individually created by some of the
nation's top
floral artists and hand-delivered the same day, and spectacular flowers shipped
overnight from its "Fresh From Our Growers(SM) Collection." As always, 100%
satisfaction and freshness are guaranteed.
The 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. collection of brands also includes Gourmet Gifts
such
as popcorn and specialty treats from The Popcorn Factory(R) (1-800-541-2676 or
www.thepopcornfactory.com); exceptional cookies and baked gifts from
Cheryl&Co.(R) (1-800-443-8124 or www.cherylandco.com); premium chocolates and
confections from
Fannie May(R) confections brands(R) (www.fanniemay.com and www.harrylondon.com);
gourmet foods from Greatfood.com(R) (www.greatfood.com); wine gifts from
Ambrosia(R)(www.ambrosia.com); gift baskets from 1-800-BASKETS.COM(R)
(www.1800baskets.com) as well as
Home Decor and Children's Gifts from Plow & Hearth(R) (1-800-627-1712 or
www.plowandhearth.com), Wind & Weather(R) (www.windandweather.com),
HearthSong(R)
(www.hearthsong.com) and Magic Cabin(R) (www.magiccabin.com); and the
BloomNet(R) international floral wire service, which provides quality products
and diverse services to a select network of florists. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM,
Inc. stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under ticker symbol
FLWS.
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