PRESS RELEASES

Mercado provides insight into online retail excellence

June 2, 2008

Mercado, a leading e-commerce, search and merchandising solution provider, is leveraging its experience with its UK retail customers to host a series of seminars called 'In search of Online Retail Excellence'. At these seminars, companies trading online can take advantage of learning best practices and techniques from leading UK online retailers. The first of the series, which happens on 17th June 2008 at the New Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden, will focus on 'Optimising your SEO/SEM and site search strategies'. The second seminar takes place on 10th July at 12 Park Crescent (Adobe Systems Europe Limited offices) and will concentrate on 'How product discovery and rich media can improve the shopping experience.'

The 'Optimising your SEO / SEM and site search strategies' seminar will be held in conjunction with Coremetrics (www.coremetrics.com) and will offer insight into the latest trends and best practices in the areas of SEO/SEM and site search. The seminar will dispel some of the uncertainties surrounding SEO and it will also offer practical tips to align off and on site search strategies and increase the effectiveness of search programmes.

The second seminar, 'How product discovery and rich media can improve the shopping experience' seminar is being organised with Adobe / Scene7 (www.scene7.com). This seminar will highlight the importance of the different points of interaction in the customer journey and how each interactive point needs to be productive to ensure a satisfied customer. The seminar will also focus on product discovery and the use of rich media to improve the customer's online shopping experience.

Guest speakers will be presenting at both seminars. Alison Lancaster, Marketing Director at Charles Tyrwhitt (www.ctshirts.co.uk) and Matthew Tod, CEO for Logan Tod & Co will be speaking on the 'State of Search' at the June seminar while Ian Jindal, Editor of Internet Retailing will be speaking on 'Online Shopping – Don't believe the hype' at the July seminar.

Rich Beattie, Vice President of Mercado Europe said of the two seminars, "Brands and companies are investing time and effort into their websites, sometimes without actually knowing what they are paying for and what to expect. The aim of the 'In search of online retail experience' seminar series is to touch on all aspects of retailing online, and provide valuable insight on how to succeed in the world of e-commerce."

For further information and to reserve your space, please visit: www.mercado.com/campaigns/seminars/

For more information please contact Zaireen Iskandar at immediate future on 0845 408 2031 or at zaireen.iskandar@immediatefuture.co.uk.

About Mercado Software

Mercado is the leading eCommerce search & merchandising solution provider for multi-channel retail and B2B organisations. By enabling a superior buying experience and equipping business managers with a powerful platform on which to execute merchandising strategies, online businesses can aggressively grow revenue and foster customer loyalty. Arcadia, Argos, Blacks and Millets, Charles Tyrwhitt, Majestic Wine, Scotts of Stow, Ted Baker and Zavvi (formerly Virgin Megastores) are some of the companies benefiting from Mercado's solutions.