BOSTON, MA--(MARKET WIRE)--Sep 10, 2008 -- Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (HHS - News), surveyed 100 enterprises in July 2008 to determine how Best-in-Class companies optimally manage merchandise, customers, and data as key determinants for driving successful holiday business. Aberdeen data reveals that 55% of leading retailers see the need to counter competitive selling strategies as the top holiday pressure. To try and outpace their competitors, 50% of leading retailers are using such advanced online tools as search and comparative shopping tools, dynamic web content management, online analytics, and social marketing tools. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5292.

Another key finding of the report is the use of pre-peak season system diagnostics. "These content-rich, immersive sites are compelling, but require more bandwidth than standard, static pages. In order to avoid costly down time, leading retailers are taking a preemptive approach, and measuring system capacity against site application demands," according to Ben Ream, Retail Analyst.

If diagnostics for capacity are the precursor, the features and applications themselves are the end result. The Web has risen in importance in nearly all facets of commerce, not just ecommerce. Realizing this shift in power and influence, leading retailers are quickly striving to use their Web site as an interactive, personalized branding tool. Senior Retail Analyst Sahir Anand sums up this digital land-grab by noting, "These capabilities and enablers improve site and channel traffic handling, merchandising and replenishment optimization, loyalty offer enablement, and seamless execution of cross-selling, up-selling, and customer service programs from order to customer delivery and fulfillment."

A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: Art Technology Group (ATG), Akamai, Accenture, and Adobe Scene 7. This report was also supported by Retail Touchpoints, Media Week, Retail Wire, and Wise Marketer. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5292.

To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen(TM) for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

 
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     Media Contact:
      
     Ben Ream
     Retail Analyst
     Ben.Ream@aberdeen.com
     (617) 854-5200
      
     Sahir Anand
     Senior Retail Analyst
     Sahir.Anand@aberdeen.com
     (617) 854-5200