IBM Software Helps Manufacturers and Retailers Speed Product Introductions

IBM Software Helps Manufacturers and Retailers Speed Product Introductions

IBM today announced significant enhancements to its product information management software that will help manufacturers and retailers speed new products to market, improve business relationships and enhance consumer shopping experiences.

IBM is delivering pre-packaged integration between a trio of IBM software products including IBM’s product information management software, IBM WebSphere Product Center, IBM WebSphere Commerce and IBM WebSphere Portal. Available today with IBM WebSphere Product Center V5.2, this is the industry’s first offering to combine product information management software with out-of-the-box connections to commerce and portal solutions.

Global organizations across multiple industries such as retail, automotive, industrial manufacturing, electronics, consumer goods manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, entertainment and financial services are using product information management software. Some of IBM’s global customers who are currently using IBM WebSphere Product Center include AlphaPurchase, Corporate Express, Conforama, El Corte Ingles, Unilever, and West Marine.

According to a recent Yankee Group analysis, product information management is yielding a 25 percent improvement in top and bottom-line benefits for enterprises. In addition, 63% of survey respondents that implemented product information management found that they increased sales resulting from an improved relationship with retailers.

West Marine is a $650 million retailer of boating supplies and is the largest boating supply company in North America. West Marine is using IBM WebSphere Product Center to eliminate redundant manual data entry into multiple databases, present richer product information to all sales channels — including 374 retail stores, a sales catalogue and a Website — and bring products to market faster. The company plans to use IBM WebSphere Portal to enable its more than 700 suppliers to enter new product information, view inventory and sales for their products, and collaborate on forecasting and replenishment. The company is also using WebSphere Commerce to manage its West Marine and BoatUS e-commerce sites which are integrated with the retail stores for a seamless, multi-channel customer experience.

Read the complete Press Release