Press release news from the public relations clients of Tiziani Whitmyre, Inc.

Posts Tagged ‘FiftyOne’

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

Nordstrom Launches International Shopping In 30 Countries

SEATTLE (November 4, 2009)—Seattle-based Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) has introduced international shopping online to better serve customers globally, the company announced today. Customers outside and inside the U.S. can now browse and buy merchandise from nordstrom.com in different currencies and easily ship items to 30 countries.

Customers have the flexibility to ship to a particular country but pay in a separate currency. The new online feature also enables simple, reliable international order fulfillment and shipping. At checkout customers receive an estimated delivery timeframe, global tracking number, a guaranteed exchange rate at purchase and a complete order total including all applicable international duty, tax, and delivery costs. Available currencies for international shopping currently include:

· Canadian Dollar (CAD)

· Euro (EUR)

· British Pound (GBP)

· U.S. Dollar (USD)

· Czech Koruna (CZK)

· Danish Krone (DKK)

· Estonian Kroon (EEK)

· Hungarian Forint (HUF)

· Latvian Lats (LVL)

· Lithuanian Litas (LTL)

· Polish Zloty (PLN)

· Swedish Krona (SEK)

“We are excited about this opportunity to better serve our customers internationally,” said Jamie Nordstrom, president of Nordstrom Direct.

“We’ve made it a lot easier for our customers abroad to shop from nordstrom.com. Sending great fashion merchandise from Nordstrom to friends and family overseas is also more convenient than ever for our domestic customers. We will continue looking for ways to improve the shopping experience for customers, no matter where they live.”

Nordstrom has partnered with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce to offer international shopping. FiftyOne ensures a consistent shopping experience for Nordstrom customers by integrating all aspects of the international transaction — global pricing, payment, logistics and delivery — into an automated online order process.

To learn more about international shopping from Nordstrom, including the most up-to-date list of available countries, visit http://shop.nordstrom.com/internationalshopping. This website is offered in English only. For assistance in another language, customers can call 1-319-846-4140 from outside the U.S., 1-877-794-5304 from Canada or 1-888-282-6060 within the U.S.

Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading fashion specialty retailers, with 182 stores located in 28 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 112 full-line stores, 67 Nordstrom Racks, two Jeffrey boutiques and one clearance store. Nordstrom also serves customers through its online presence at www.nordstrom.com and through its catalogs. Nordstrom, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

FiftyOne Global Ecommerce empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to market, sell, and fulfill merchandise to international shoppers with cost certainty. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the international order life cycle, from multicurrency merchandising and payments to global logistics, local delivery, and customer service. FiftyOne is powering international ecommerce for Anne Geddes, Anthropologie, Belisi Fashions, Brookstone, The Buckle, CHEFS Catalog, Drugstore.com, Johnston & Murphy, Overstock.com, SureSource, and many others. The company is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.fiftyone.com.

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Public Relations contact, Boston: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/public-relations

Tags: customs clearance facilitation, FiftyOne, fiftyone global ecommerce solution, FiftyOne retailers, FiftyOne-enabled retailers, global ecommerce, international payment processing, international returns management, landed cost calculation, logistics, Nordstrom, NYSE: JWN
Posted in Business, Lifestyle, Technology |

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Doubles Reach for U.S. Retailers to Sell Internationally

New York, NY — October 27, 2009 — FiftyOne Global Ecommerce has expanded the reach of its leading end-to-end international ecommerce services for U.S. retailers to include a total of 92 countries and 43 currencies.

“Given that five out of six online consumers live outside the U.S., international ecommerce represents an attractive economic opportunity for U.S. retailers. With this significant increase in reach, the business case for international expansion is more compelling than ever” said Kris Green, Chief Marketing Officer, FiftyOne. (www.fiftyone.com).

The expansion more than doubles FiftyOne’s geographic reach and provides FiftyOne-enabled U.S. retailers “with an unprecedented capability to service more than 1.4 billion online consumers around the world, with a localized consumer ecommerce experience and without the need to create and manage new international websites,” he said.

FiftyOne Global Ecommerce is a complete set of international ecommerce technologies and services that allow U.S. merchants and their international customers to transact effortlessly. FiftyOne services span automated multi-currency merchandising, international payment processing, landed cost calculation, logistics and customs clearance facilitation, and international returns management.

FiftyOne enables the dynamic presentation of any U.S. ecommerce site as an international ecommerce site, using IP geolocation and managed foreign exchange services, and localizes an entire order life cycle so that international consumers can transact with confidence, Green said.

Current FiftyOne retailers include Anne Geddes, Anthropologie, Belisi Fashions, Brookstone, The Buckle, CHEFS Catalog, rugstore.com, Johnston & Murphy, Overstock.com, SureSource, and many others.

For a complete list of countries and currencies supported by FiftyOne, visit http://www.fiftyone.com.

About FiftyOne

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Public Relations contact, Boston: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/public-relations

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Retailers Select FiftyOne Global Ecommerce to Enable International Web Sales

New York, NY— October 14, 2009 — Four U.S. retailers — Belisi Fashions; The Buckle, Inc. (NYSE:BKE); CHEFS Catalog; and Johnston & Murphy — have selected the FiftyOne Global Ecommerce solution to expand or improve their international Web sales and reach hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe.

FiftyOne enables retailers to dynamically present their existing U.S. ecommerce site as a global ecommerce site, complete with automated multicurrency merchandising, international payment processing, landed cost calculation, logistics and customs clearance facilitation, and international returns management.

“With FiftyOne, retailers can offer a single, universally branded customer experience to shoppers around the world — without the need to invest in new websites, call centers, or infrastructure,” said Kris Green, Chief Marketing Officer, FiftyOne, Inc.

The retailers announced today “are leaders in their respective industries and represent the growing appeal – and ease — of reaching out to hundreds of millions of new shoppers,” Green said. They are:

· Belisi Fashions (Belisi.com), which offers luxury handbags, neckties, scarves, and jewelry as well as fashion products from other major labels

· The Buckle, Inc. (buckle.com), a leading retailer of casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for fashion–conscious young men and women

· CHEFS Catalog (chefscatalog.com), the leading catalog retailer of top-quality cooking equipment at exceptional values for home chefs and cooking enthusiasts,

· Johnston & Murphy (johnstonmurphy.com), a retailer of premium selection of men’s and women’s footwear, accessories, apparel, and gifts

Ensuring a Quality Customer Experience

Executives at Johnston & Murphy selected FiftyOne to dramatically improve the firm’s previous poor experience with global ecommerce, which was marked by the difficulties of international shipments and customer dissatisfaction with the imposition of local duties and fees upon delivery, according to Director of Customer Information Heather Marsh.

“FiftyOne was the all-inclusive solution,” said Marsh. “FiftyOne provides fraud screening and exchange rates, and fits right into our checkout cart so transactions are as seamless as possible. And FiftyOne guarantees the landed costs for our customers — to ensure our customers are informed and satisfied throughout the process.”

Implementing with Experience

Repeated requests from shoppers outside the U.S. prompted CHEFS Catalog to explore the potential of “going global,” said Mona Van De Weghe, Ecommerce Director at CHEFS.

According to Dale Schuman, IT Director, “as we investigated possible solutions, it became clear that the people at FiftyOne are very experienced. They really know their stuff. They know what’s involved. Their model makes sense. The solution is comprehensive and well thought out.”

“Implementation was straightforward and smooth,” said Van De Weghe. “Obviously, there was work on our part, but we had a rollout with a fairly aggressive deadline. With FiftyOne, the project was almost a turnkey solution.

“While we decided that now was the right time to broaden our scope, we also knew that a global expansion would not have happened if we needed to do it all ourselves. And the FiftyOne business model makes sense. It’s all a fit,” she noted.

Heather Marsh, of Johnston & Murphy, agrees. “FiftyOne’s model is very low-risk. We’re only paying for sales. There’s no huge payback period because the implementation costs are fairly low. We’re basically just talking about a commission on new sales.”

Growing List of Customers, Countries

The merchants announced today join a growing list of FiftyOne retailers representing retailers ranging from artwork to cameras and clothing to household products, and include Anne Geddes, Anthropologie, Brookstone, Drugstore.com, Overstock.com, SureSource, and a host of others.

Throughout the summer, FiftyOne announced major upgrades to its global ecommerce platform, including an expansion into Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand; a new single-page checkout design optimized for conversion; and sophisticated tools that allow retailers to dynamically adjust prices by market.

A larger geographic expansion for FiftyOne customers — to include 57 additional countries — is planned for late October.

For more information, visit www.fiftyone.com.

About FiftyOne

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Public Relations contact, Boston: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/public-relations

Tags: Current FiftyOne retailers, customs clearance facilitation, FiftyOne, fiftyone global ecommerce solution, FiftyOne-enabled retailers, global ecommerce, international payment processing, international returns management, landed cost calculation, logistics
Posted in Business, Technology |

Monday, August 31st, 2009

FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Improves Order Conversion, Expands Reach for U.S. Retailers Selling Internationally

New York, NY —August 31, 2009— FiftyOne (www.fiftyone.com), the leading provider of end-to-end international ecommerce services to U.S. retailers, announced major upgrades to its global e-commerce platform today including an initial expansion into Asia-Pacific markets, a new multi-lingual and single page international checkout design optimized for conversion, and the launch of sophisticated merchandising tools that allow retailers to dynamically adjust prices in different markets.

FiftyOne is a ground-breaking set of international ecommerce technologies and services that allow U.S. merchants and their international customers to transact effortlessly, providing services that span automated multi-currency merchandising, international payment processing, landed cost calculation, logistics and customs clearance facilitation, and international returns management. FiftyOne enables the dynamic presentation of any U.S. ecommerce site as an international ecommerce site, using IP geolocation and managed foreign exchange services, and localizes an entire order life cycle so that international consumers can transact with confidence.

Asia-Pacific Expansion

With its Asia-Pacific expansion, FiftyOne now makes it possible for FiftyOne-enabled U.S. retailers to additionally merchandise, sell, service and market to online shoppers in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand.

“FiftyOne-enabled U.S. retailers now have access to some 700 million consumers in 39 countries,” says Kris Green, FiftyOne’s Chief Marketing Officer. “This initial expansion into Asia-Pacific sets the stage for a larger rollout of 59 more countries planned for later this year.”

New Checkout Design and Landed Cost Preconditioning

FiftyOne also introduced a single-page international checkout design complete with image thumbnails, guaranteed landed costs, support for advanced attribute and inventory messages, and a buyer-facing ability to see all checkout language and order-related correspondence in French, German or Spanish.

From a merchandising perspective, FiftyOne now offers a feature called “landed cost preconditioning” which gives retailers the ability to shift portions of international shipping, duty and/or VAT into country-specific product prices, to reduce landed cost “sticker shock” and increase conversion.

“The new checkout design and landed cost preconditioning capability each demonstrate our core focus on enabling our customers to increase the international opportunity they are able to monetize,” explains Green.

FiftyOne-enabled retailers, who were early adopters of the new checkout and dynamic merchandising capability, are already seeing up to a 10% increase in orders from the optimized single-page checkout and up to a 20% increase from the shift of landed cost elements into product prices.

FiftyOne Extends Global Reach for U.S. Retailers

“FiftyOne eliminates the need for retailers to invest in new international websites, call centers or infrastructure,” explains Green, “All international demand is fulfilled to an address in the U.S., with FiftyOne providing customer parity across an entire order life cycle. The effect is that of snapping a ‘global lens’ onto a retailer’s existing U.S. ecommerce website to ensure a single, universally branded shopping experience—virtually anywhere around the world.”

Current FiftyOne retailers include Anne Geddes, Anthropologie, Brookstone, Buckle, CHEFS Catalog, drugstore.com, Overstock.com, Shoes.com, SureSource, and many others.

About FiftyOne

FiftyOne Global Ecommerce empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to market, sell, and fulfill merchandise to international shoppers with cost certainty. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the international order life cycle, from multi-currency merchandising and payments to global logistics, local delivery, and customer service. FiftyOne is powering international ecommerce for Anne Geddes, Anthropologie, Brookstone, Buckle, CHEFS Catalog, drugstore.com, Overstock.com, Shoes.com, SureSource and many others. The company is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.fiftyone.com.

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Public Relations contact, Boston: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/public-relations

Tags: Current FiftyOne retailers, customs clearance facilitation, FiftyOne, FiftyOne-enabled retailers, international payment processing, international returns management, landed cost calculation, logistics
Posted in Business, Public Safety, Technology |

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

International Commerce Can Drive Increased Revenue for Retail Business, Panel at eTail 2009 to Explore Opportunities

NEW YORK, NY — Feb. 11, 2009 – Retailers increasingly see international markets as one of the best avenues for growth in 2009, and a panel discussion at the upcoming eTail 2009 will explore the growing trend of launching international ecommerce capabilities – and the options available to e-tailers to benefit from it.

Titled “Exploring International Commerce to Drive Increased Revenue for Your Business,” the panel will explore how, as domestic markets tighten, developing a successful international strategy becomes increasingly central to the profitability of retail businesses.

Panelists will include Michael DeSimone, CEO, of E4X Inc. DeSimone will detail how a host of leading U.S. retailers are expanding their online domestic ecommerce capabilities to offer their merchandise for sale to consumers internationally.

E4X is powering the retailers’ international commerce expansions with its FiftyOne Global eCommerce solution, which provides a single, universally branded shopping experience for international consumers as well as all aspects of the international transaction for the retailer, including local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, global logistics and delivery, and post-sale customer support.

Overall the panel session will examine pricing, entrance, shopping preference and shipping rate policies that support optimal international ecommerce expansion approaches. The discussion will include:

How to develop an international promotional strategy for global expansion
Using geo-location technology to identify shopper location
How to translate and adjust pricing policies to localized currencies
How shopping differences and preferences across different countries affect an international strategy
How to determine optimal shipping rate policies
How back-end technology can support expansion strategies

“Throughout the eTail 2009 panel, we’ll be providing examples of how leading U.S. retailers, are implementing global ecommerce solutions as a smart revenue growth strategy – rather than investing exclusively in the wallet share battle for a mature, saturated U.S. e-commerce market,” DeSimone said.

E4X, Inc. is the leading provider of international ecommerce internet solutions for business that enable retailers to realize the untapped revenue opportunities, and simplify the complexities, of cross-border ecommerce. The company’s FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution (http://www.fiftyone.com/) empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to merchandise, sell, and deliver product to international shoppers.

FiftyOne extends a retailer’s existing domestic ecommerce website and operations into global markets while keeping the merchant’s brand and customer experience promises intact, without any additional infrastructure investment. Founded in 1999, E4X clients include AnneGeddes.com, Anthropologie, drugstore.com, FansEdge, SureSource, Overstock.com, and others. E4X is headquartered in New York, with a research and development office in Tel Aviv. For more information, visit http://www.e4x.com/.

The panel, “Exploring International Commerce to Drive Increased Revenue for Your Business,” will be presented Tuesday, February 24, 2009, at eTail 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.wbresearch.com/etailusawest/agenda_main_full1.asp#240b.

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FiftyOne is a brand of E4X, Inc.

Public Relations contact: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/services/public-relations/index.html

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Technorati tags: ecommerce, e-commerce, ecommerce site, e-storefronts, global ecommerce, global logistics, international consumer, international customer, international ecommerce, international online shoppers, local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, online retailer, E4X, FiftyOne, etail 2009

Tags: e-commerce, e-storefronts, E4X, ecommerce, etail 2009, FiftyOne, global logistics, international ecommerce, international online shoppers, multi-currency payments, online retailer
Posted in Business, Technology |

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

AnneGeddes.com Improves International Consumer Experience with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce

NEW YORK, November 11, 2008 — The Geddes Group has implemented E4X, Inc.’s FiftyOne global ecommerce solution to improve the online shopping experience for its European and Canadian consumers at AnneGeddes.com, its official ecommerce site.

“Anne Geddes, one of the most respected and successful professional photographers in the world, is as popular in Canada and many European countries as in the United States,” said Gary Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Geddes Group (www.AnneGeddes.com).
“There is very high demand from international consumers for Anne’s products. Our continuing goal – which is vital given the value we invest in our brand and the emotional aspect of our products – is to achieve the very highest level of customer service possible at AnneGeddes.com,” Brown said.

“To that end, we are employing E4X’s FiftyOne global ecommerce solution to enhance the online experience of our European and Canadian consumers,” stated Brown.

“E4X’s FiftyOne solution simplifies international ecommerce by snapping a ‘global lens’ onto existing U.S. ecommerce sites to ensure a single, universally branded shopping experience for international consumers,” said Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer, E4X, Inc. (www.fiftyone.com).

“Merchandising, pricing and payments, logistics and delivery, taxes, tariffs and duties, and customer service are all localized according to the buyer’s country and presented in an international shopping cart,” DeSimone said.

According to Brown, on AnneGeddes.com, implementation of FiftyOne global ecommerce will benefit international consumers by improving shipping efficiencies and costs, and by providing upfront notification of customs and duties charges imposed by their home countries.

“Better information, reduced costs, and improved service mean a better overall experience,” Brown said.

AnneGeddes.com joins Anthropologie, drugstore.com, FansEdge, SureSource, Overstock.com, and other retailers employing FiftyOne as their international ecommerce web site software to improve access and service to some 500 million shoppers in 34 countries.

For more information about the FiftyOne global ecommerce solution, visit www.fiftyone.com, or call 1-212-299-3577.

About AnneGeddes.com
One of the world’s most respected photographers, and a two-time New York Times and repeat international bestselling author, Anne Geddes creates images that are iconic, award winning, and beloved. Her photographs embody her deeply held belief that every child must be protected, nurtured, and loved. Anne Geddes’ images have been published in 83 countries, and been featured in her books that have sold more than 18 million copies worldwide and been translated into 24 languages. Also receiving global attention is the Anne Geddes website, which remains an international success story, attracting more than 3.3 million visits yearly from more than 210 countries. Anne’s site, AnneGeddes.com, was recognized as #1 on Yahoo’s New Best of the Week Sites, named a Hot Site by USA Today, and received the CoolSTOP Best of the Cool Award. The site and web newsletter have received numerous awards for design and content. An exclusive range of member benefits is available through a premium subscriber service called extra, introduced in 2006. For more information, please visit www.AnneGeddes.com.

About E4X, Inc.
E4X, Inc. is the leading provider of international ecommerce internet solutions for business that enable retailers to realize the untapped revenue opportunities, and simplify the complexities, of cross-border ecommerce. The company’s FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to merchandise, sell, and deliver product to international shoppers. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the experience, from local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, global logistics and local delivery, to customer service. Founded in 1999, E4X clients include AnneGeddes.com, Anthropologie, drugstore.com, FansEdge, SureSource, Overstock.com, and others. E4X is headquartered in New York, with offices in Toronto and Tel Aviv. For more information, visit www.e4x.com.

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Public Relations contact: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/services/public-relations/index.html

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Tags: Anne Geddes, e-commerce, e-storefronts, E4X, ecommerce, FiftyOne, global logistics, international ecommerce, international online shoppers, multi-currency payments, online retailer
Posted in Business, Technology |

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Saks Direct to Expand Ecommerce Sales to Canada

- E4X FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution to Enable Shopping for Canadians -

New York, NY – October 01, 2008 – Saks Direct, Inc., the ecommerce division of Saks Incorporated (NYSE: SKS), has signed an agreement with E4X, Inc. to utilize its FiftyOne global ecommerce solution to enable Canadian consumers to shop and buy online at saks.com.

Canadian shoppers visiting saks.com (http://www.saks.com/) will soon enjoy the complete online shopping experience automatically localized to feature merchandise, promotions, pricing, customer service, and delivery options available to Canadians. Currently, orders submitted online at saks.com can only be shipped within the United States.

“Our rollout of E4X’s FiftyOne solution will enable Saks Direct to offer shoppers in Canada the ability to purchase from saks.com and experience the same ease of use and high service levels as our domestic clientele. Being able to ship internationally has been a top priority for saks.com in 2008, and the FiftyOne solution will allow us to configure and launch a robust offering for our Canadian customers in time for the holidays,” said Roger Scholl, VP of Operations for Saks Direct.

Canadian online spending for retail goods in 2009 is forecast to grow 21% percent and total US$16 billion, according to eMarketer.

“Implementing FiftyOne is fairly straightforward,” said Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer, E4X, Inc. (http://www.fiftyone.com/). “As a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, the FiftyOne global ecommerce solution will extend the existing Saks Direct ecommerce capabilities without modifications or investment to its existing order fulfillment operations.”

Saks Direct joins a growing trend of retailers that are expanding their U.S. online sales capabilities to reach new shoppers in Canada and overseas.

DeSimone noted “Overstock.com, drugstore.com, The Parent Company (eToys, BabyUniverse, and My Twinn), and others are extending their existing ecommerce platforms with the FiftyOne solution to tap the revenue potential of 500 million new shoppers in 34 countries starting this holiday season.”

The FiftyOne solution simplifies international ecommerce by snapping a ‘global lens’ onto an existing U.S. ecommerce site to ensure a single, universally branded shopping experience for international consumers. Merchandising, pricing and payments, logistics and delivery, taxes, tariffs and duties, and customer service are all localized according to the buyer’s country. And to the retailer’s operations, international orders look just like domestic orders with a U.S. credit card and domestic ship-to address.

About E4X, Inc.
E4X, Inc. is the leading provider of international ecommerce internet solutions for business that enable retailers to realize the untapped revenue opportunities, and simplify the complexities, of cross-border ecommerce. The company’s FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to merchandise, sell, and deliver product to international shoppers. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the experience, from local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, global logistics and local delivery, to customer service. Founded in 1999, E4X clients include Overstock.com, Anthropologie, drugstore.com, eToys, SureSource, and others. E4X is headquartered in New York, with offices in Toronto and Tel Aviv. For more information, visit http://www.e4x.com/.

About Saks Incorporated
Saks Incorporated currently operates Saks Fifth Avenue, which consists of 53 Saks Fifth Avenue stores, 48 Saks Off 5th stores, and saks.com. The Company also operates Club Libby Lu specialty stores.

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Public Relations contact: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/

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Tags: e-storefronts, E4X, ecommerce site, FiftyOne, global logistics, international ecommerce, international online shoppers, local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, online retailer, Saks
Posted in Business, Technology |

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

The Parent Company to Extend eToys, BabyUniverse, My Twinn Websites Internationally with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution

DENVER, CO and NEW YORK NY – August 12, 2008 – The Parent Company (Nasdaq: KIDS) has entered into a contract to utilize the FiftyOne global ecommerce solution from E4X, Inc. (http://www.fiftyone.com/), and plans to kick off its 2008 holiday sales season by extending three of its flagship brands –- eToys, BabyUniverse and My Twinn — internationally to reach 500 million shoppers in 34 countries, including Canada and most of Europe.

“We’re very excited to introduce our eToys, BabyUniverse and My Twinn brands to a half-billion new consumers around the world, powered by the FiftyOne solution from E4X” said Michael J. Wagner, CEO of The Parent Company. “It’s an incredible opportunity for us to offer a seamless shopping experience to a global audience.”

“The FiftyOne solution will act like a ‘lens’ over our existing U.S. websites that will automatically generate customized views for international shoppers. They will experience the same high quality online shopping experience that we offer our U.S. customers, but tailored to their location,” said Jim Scherman, Vice President, Business Development and Customer Service.

International market is untapped revenue opportunity

“Enabling a U.S. retailer’s ecommerce operation for overseas sales is a major step in introducing the retailer’s brand internationally – and to a previously untapped revenue opportunity,” said Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer, E4X, Inc.

“Ecommerce outside the U.S. is growing at more than 50 percent. And the historically low U.S. dollar is driving even more overseas consumers to shop U.S. retailer sites – as the 2008 holiday shopping season approaches,” he said. “Meanwhile, U.S. retailers are seeing decreasing demand and increased competition for a domestic online market that’s continuing to mature.”

The Parent Company joins Overstock.com, Anthropologie, drugstore.com, and others employing FiftyOne as their global ecommerce solution.

The FiftyOne solution will extend the existing eToys, BabyUniverse, and My Twinn websites with key international capabilities including:

Local Country Merchandising: Website localization, guaranteed local currency product pricing, restricted product screening, and guaranteed lowest possible landed costs make international customers feel welcome.
Multi-currency Payments: Multicurrency credit card processing, international credit card fraud protection, currency management, and USD settlement ensure customers are charged and pay in their own currency, while retailers are paid in U.S. dollars at the time of order – without foreign exchange risk.
Global Logistics and Delivery: U.S. retailers ship to a U.S.-based hub and FiftyOne handles the customs clearance, international shipping, package tracking, and return shipping. International customers receive the lowest guaranteed landed cost for delivery to their door – with no surprise fees or surcharges.
Post-Sale Support: FiftyOne returns management and customer service tools allow U.S. retailers to provide international shoppers with the same level of customer service provided to domestic shoppers.

For more information about the FiftyOne Global eCommerce Solution, visit www.fiftyone.com, or call 1-212-299-3577.

About The Parent Company
The Parent Company (Nasdaq: KIDS) is a leading commerce, content and new media company for growing families. The Parent Company provides comprehensive eCommerce and eContent resources to help families plan, play and grow. The company’s toy business offers thousands of toys and children’s products through its eToys (http://www.etoys.com/) website, catalogs and strategic retail partnerships; and personalized dolls and accessories on its My Twinn (http://www.mytwinn.com/) brand. Through its baby business, the company is a leading online retailer of brand-name baby, toddler and maternity products sold through the BabyUniverse (http://www.babyuniverse.com/) and DreamtimeBaby (http://www.dreamtimebaby.com/) web sites. The company’s luxury brands, PoshTots (http://www.poshtots.com/) and PoshLiving (http://www.poshliving.com/), reach the country’s most affluent consumers with luxury baby apparel and furnishings. With its content sites, BabyTV (http://www.babytv.com/), PoshCravings (http://www.poshcravings.com/) and ePregnancy (http://www.epregnancy.com/), The Parent Company has established a recognized platform for the delivery of content and new media resources to a national audience of expectant parents. The Parent Company is a market-leading digital content and eCommerce company focused on parents.

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Public Relations contact: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/

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Technorati tags: ecommerce, e-commerce, ecommerce site, e-storefronts, global ecommerce, global logistics, international consumer, international customer, interna
tional ecommerce, international online shoppers, local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, online retailer, E4X, FiftyOne, The Parent Company, eToys, BabyUniverse, My Twinn

Tags: BabyUniverse, e-commerce, E4X, ecommerce, eToys, FiftyOne, global ecommerce, global logistics, international ecommerce, My Twinn, online retailer, The Parent Company
Posted in Business, Technology |

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

drugstore.com to Expand Sales Internationally — E4X FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution to Provide Access to 500 Million Consumers

Bellevue, WA, and New York, NY – July 28, 2008 – drugstore.com, inc. (NASDAQ:DSCM), a leading online retailer of health, beauty, vision and pharmacy products has entered into a contract to utilize E4X, Inc.’s FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution (http://www.fiftyone.com/) to power the expansion of sales internationally. drugstore.com (http://www.drugstore.com/) expects to be able to provide a wide selection of over-the-counter products to customers in 34 countries before year end.

“drugstore.com is one of the top 50 online retailers in the United States, the time is right to accelerate our growth by adding international markets,” said Dawn Lepore, CEO and chairman of drugstore.com, inc. “We’re seeing increasing demand for our over-the-counter products from outside of the US and we believe the FiftyOne Global Ecommerce solution from E4X will enable a cost-effective expansion opportunity in a short period of time.”

“This is an unprecedented opportunity for U.S. retailers to extend their ecommerce sites internationally, and gain access to an entirely new and previously untapped market of 500 million consumers in 34 countries,” said Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer, E4X, Inc. “International shoppers are streaming to U.S. ecommerce websites to buy virtually all categories of consumer products, and for good reason. The low U.S. dollar means they’re going to save significantly–as much as 40% in some instances–even when shipping costs, import tariffs, and taxes are included.” The FiftyOne Global Ecommerce solution from E4X simplifies international ecommerce for both retailers and consumers. Shoppers visiting a retailer’s U.S. based ecommerce site from outside the U.S. are shown only the merchandise, pricing, and delivery options available in their country. Meanwhile, to the retailer, international sales are managed to look the same as any domestic sale. The FiftyOne solution addresses all aspects of an international transaction – including local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, global logistics and delivery, and post-sale customer support.

This solution will enable drugstore.com to facilitate market expansion with:

· Local Country Merchandising: Website Localization, Guaranteed local currency product pricing, Restricted product screening, and Guaranteed lowest possible landed costs make international customers feel welcome.
· Multi-currency Payments: Multicurrency Credit Card Processing, International credit card fraud protection, Currency management, and USD settlement ensure customers are charged and pay in their own currency, while retailers are paid in U.S. dollars at the time of order – without foreign exchange risk.
· Global Logistics and Delivery: U.S. retailers ship to a U.S.-based hub and FiftyOne handles the customs clearance, international shipping, package tracking, and return shipping. International customers receive the lowest guaranteed landed cost for delivery to their door – with no surprise fees or surcharges.
· Post-sale Support: FiftyOne returns management and customer service tools allow U.S. retailers to provide international shoppers with the same level of customer service provided to domestic shoppers.

About drugstore.com, inc.
drugstore.com, inc. (NASDAQ:DSCM) is a leading online retailer of health, beauty, vision and pharmacy products. Our portfolio of brands include: drugstore.com™, Beauty.com™ and VisionDirect.com™. All are accessible from http://www.drugstore.com/ and provide a convenient, private, and informative shopping experience while offering a wide assortment of more than 30,000 products at competitive prices. The drugstore.com pharmacy is certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) as a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site (VIPPS) and operates in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations in the United States.

About E4X, Inc.
E4X, Inc. is the leading provider of technology and services that simplify global ecommerce for both retailers and consumers. The company’s FiftyOne Global Ecommerce solution (http://www.fiftyone.com/) manages local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, global logistics, and international customer service complexities enabling a U.S. retailer to sell to 500 million new international consumers using its existing ecommerce infrastructure. Founded in 1999, E4X is based in New York with offices in Toronto, Canada and Tel Aviv, Israel. For further information, visit http://www.e4x.com/. This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and expectations of drugstore.com, inc. Words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. Actual performance may differ materially from those contained or implied in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could lead to such differences could include, among other things: effects of changes in the economy, changes in consumer spending, fluctuations in the stock market, changes affecting the Internet, online retailing and advertising, changes in senior management, risks related to systems interruptions, possible governmental regulation and the ability to manage a growing business. Additional information regarding factors that potentially could affect the business, financial condition and operating results of drugstore.com, inc. is included in the company’s periodic filings with the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. drugstore.com, inc. expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as otherwise specifically stated by it.

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Public Relations contact: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/

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Technorati tags: ecommerce, e-commerce, ecommerce site, e-storefronts, global ecommerce, glob
al logistics, international consumer, international customer, international ecommerce, international online shoppers, local country merchandising, multi-currency payments, online retailer, E4X, FiftyOne, drugstore.com

Tags: drugstore.com, E4X, ecommerce, ecommerce site, FiftyOne, global ecommerce, global logistics, international ecommerce, multi-currency payments
Posted in Business, Technology |

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

Retailers Select E4X’s FiftyOne Global Ecommerce Solution to Launch Online Sales in 34 Countries – In time for 2008 Holiday Shopping

NEW YORK, NY – June 11, 2008 – Three leading U.S. retailers have selected E4X Inc.’s integrated FiftyOne Global Ecommerce solution to extend their ecommerce sales internationally – and reach 500 million consumers in 34 countries in time for the 2008 holiday shopping season, Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer, E4X, Inc. (http://www.fiftyone.com/), announced today.

DeSimone said the three retailers are:

David’s Bridal (http://www.davidsbridal.com/), the nation’s leading bridal retailer with over 280 stores nationwide featuring wedding gowns, bridal party dresses, accessories, gifts, favors and invitations.
Discount Dance (http://www.discountdance.com/), the dance supply company dedicated to bringing the dance community the best selection of dance accessories, discount dancewear, dance clothes and dance shoes at the best prices available.
Intermix (http://www.intermixonline.com/), the fashion-forward lifestyle boutique offering the innovative dressing and highly evolved personal styles embraced and championed by the most stylish and sophisticated women everywhere.

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of the decision by Overstock.com to use FiftyOne Global Ecommerce to offer its discount, brand-name merchandise for sale to consumers outside of the U.S.

“Smart U.S. retailers are implementing a 2008 Q4 revenue growth strategy that focuses on extending their online presence internationally to access entirely new markets of 500 million holiday shoppers in 34 countries — rather than engaging in an increasingly competitive and less rewarding wallet share battle for a mature, saturated U.S. holiday ecommerce market,” said DeSimone.

“The FiftyOne solution delivers on that vision by ‘snapping onto’ a merchant’s existing ecommerce and fulfillment operation with no new infrastructure investment required,” he said.

FiftyOne Global Ecommerce simplifies international ecommerce for both retailers and consumers. Shoppers visiting a retailer’s U.S.-based ecommerce site from outside the U.S. are shown only the merchandise, pricing, and delivery options available in their country. Meanwhile, to the retailer, international sales are managed to look the same as any domestic sale. The FiftyOne solution addresses all critical aspects of an international transaction: multicurrency localization; international payment and fraud management; global logistics and delivery; and service and returns management.

“International consumers are so hungry to shop from U.S. retailers that they’re paying huge sums of money to charter planes for shopping vacations in New York. Clearly, for U.S. retailers considering international ecommerce extension, the time to act is now – to launch in time for the 2008 holiday shopping season and benefit from the low U.S. dollar,” DeSimone added.

For more information about the FiftyOne Global Ecommerce solution, visit www.fiftyone.com, or call 1-212-299-3500.

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Public Relations contact: Tiziani Whitmyre Inc., http://www.tizinc.com/

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Tags: E4X, ecommerce, ecommerce site, FiftyOne, global ecommerce, global logistics, international ecommerce, multi-currency payments
Posted in Business, Technology |

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About Tiziani Whitmyre

Tiziani Whitmyre Inc.'s public relations expertise is in technology & life sciences PR. We work with companies from small business startups to global leaders. Unlike traditional firms, we are very flexible in our PR services and combine the expertise of large agency professional talent within the flexibility of a boutique. We help clients generate sales leads, launch new products, enter new markets, establish technical leadership, and achieve other business goals. We craft and execute cost-effective, results-focused efforts that integrate traditional and Web 2.0 solutions as discrete projects, targeted campaigns, on-going PR programs, or elements in an integrated marketing program. Our industry experience is deep and includes analytical instruments, biotechnology, ecommerce, food and dairy, healthcare, high technology, laboratory sciences, life sciences, machinery, manufacturing, medical products, pharmaceuticals, professional services, and software

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