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MarCole Chooses IBM as Preferred Partner to Deliver On Demand Business Solutions to Retail Industry Customers

MarCole Joins IBM PartnerWorld Industry Networks

MarCole Interactive Systems today announced it has achieved industry Optimized status in IBM's PartnerWorld Industry Networks. MarCole can now take advantage of IBM's sales, marketing and technical expertise to develop and deliver solutions that meet customer requirements in the retail industry.

Customers are seeking solutions that can help them better integrate processes and applications and allow them to quickly respond to changing market opportunities -- all key elements in transforming to an On Demand business.

MarCole is the leading provider of gift registry solutions for multi-channel retailers. Their application named Gift RegistryWorks(TM) is a scaleable, modular, multilingual, J2EE solution for in-store kiosk and web-based, e-commerce enabled, deployment. It supports multiple user definable gift giving occasions including weddings, wish-lists, anniversaries, baby showers, housewarmings and birthdays.

Gift RegistryWorks features self-service or assisted registry setup, hand-held scanners, and can display high-quality images of registered items. In addition to customized turnkey branded solutions ideal for chain-store deployment, an Independent Retailer Solution is available for smaller businesses and a Software Development Kit can be provided to those customers wishing to leverage in-house development expertise. MarCole makes Gift RegistryWorks available in a traditional licensed fashion and as a hosted software service (SaaS).

MarCole has been an IBM business partner for nearly 15 years. "We are proud to achieve Optimized status within IBM's PartnerWorld community which further strengthens our long term relationship with IBM and helps us deliver customized solutions to our customers in the retail sector, " said David Pava, VP of sales, MarCole.

One of MarCole's most recent Gift RegistryWorks implementations is for Scheels All Sports of Fargo, ND. Scheels is a 22 store sporting goods retail superstore regional chain with locations in 7 states including North Dakota, Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Scheels deployment of Gift RegistryWorks running under Linux on IBM eServer xSeries powered by IBM DB2 and WebSphere Express is an excellent example of how a small or medium size businesses can deploy industrial strength, contemporary, best-of-breed technology, in a short time frame at an affordable price. When compared to alternative options -- it is hard to find a better value. Is there additional information on the implementation? Benefits, before and after scenario?

"We are pleased that MarCole has committed to IBM as a partner of choice by joining PartnerWorld Industry Networks," said Buell Duncan, general manager, ISV & Developer Relations, IBM. "Collaborating with MarCole will ensure that we develop industry-specific open solutions that are easy to maintain and cost effective for our small to medium sized customers."

The IBM PartnerWorld Industry Networks provide ISVs with comprehensive business insight, technical resources, networking opportunities, and marketing and sales support designed to help them reach more customers and close deals faster. Participants in the PartnerWorld Industry Networks can team with IBM to bring on demand solutions to market more easily and to ensure these solutions meet specific industry needs, reflecting how customers buy technology today.

ISVs can sign up for PartnerWorld Industry Networks at www.ibm.com/isv.

MarCole is the leading provider of gift registry and associated interactive applications for multi-channel retailers. The Company was established in 1991 and has deployed gift registry and related interactive shopping systems for customers including, Neiman Marcus, Boscov's Department Stores, Linens 'n Things, Sur La Table, Viking HomeChef, MacKenzie-Childs, Scheels All Sports, Z Gallerie and many more prestigious retailers.

Distributed by Market Wire