E-Commerce: Fry, Inc. Launches New E-commerce Site For Meijer

Fry, Inc., a leading e-commerce design, development and managed services provider, recently announced the launch of a new Web site for Meijer. The new site, Meijer's first e-commerce initiative, allows customers to shop the retail supercenter online at www.meijer.com

The Web site is part of a comprehensive e-commerce effort that began with a strategic consulting engagement and includes the development and integration of a new order management system, a customer contact center application, and a supplier-direct distribution network created for Meijer by Pinnacle Rock Associates, now a subsidiary of Fry.

"We're pleased that Meijer, a well-known tier-one retailer in the Great Lakes region, chose us to help launch their unique online shopping experience across the nation," said David Fry, president and chief executive officer of Fry, Inc. "The new site is built with customer-focused features that are interactive, easy-to-use and reflect Meijer's brand personality."

Innovative site features include a persistent shopping cart that can be viewed at all times without leaving the page. Product previews and recently viewed products remain in view without shoppers having to load a new page. AJAX and Flash technologies are behind clever, interactive promotional spaces throughout the site which make it easier for Meijer to manage content, showcase products and deliver an engaging experience for shoppers without clicking through multiple pages.

The site was built with Fry's Open Commerce Platform (OCP), an e-commerce solution that enables retailers to quickly develop an online store and create or expand their e-commerce business. With 67 implementations by major retailers since its release in 2001, OCP has become one of the fastest-growing commerce platforms in the marketplace. Like all OCP sites, Meijer.com features robust content management, easy-to-use promotional tools, targeted and personalized merchandising capabilities, and advanced site search.

"The new site delivers an online shopping experience that will surprise and delight our customers, just in time for the holidays," said Tom Nakfoor, vice president of e-commerce for Meijer. "The synergies of our business partnerships with Fry and Pinnacle Rock, with assistance from CommerceHub, Taxware, and CyberSource, will position us well for continued growth of our e-commerce business."

In addition to the design and development of the site, the order management system and the call center application, Fry will host the site and provide managed services and enhancements on an on-going basis.

About Fry, Inc.
Fry, Inc. designs, develops, builds, and hosts multi-channel e-commerce applications for clients such as Brookstone, Crate and Barrel, Eddie Bauer, Godiva Chocolatier, Levenger, Spiegel, The Swiss Colony and Whirlpool. The firm specializes in systems engineering, managed services, information architecture, creative design, and usability and brand strategy. Fry offers strategic consulting for a variety of direct-channel business processes including market strategy, marketing effectiveness, merchandise and business planning, logistics, and supply chain and order management. One of the industry's leading e-commerce solutions, Open Commerce Platform, was developed by Fry. With offices in Ann Arbor, Chicago, New York and San Francisco, Fry is a privately held company that has been designing and developing e-commerce applications since 1994.

About Meijer
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer that operates 181 supercenters throughout Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. As the inventor of the "one stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings. Additional information on Meijer can be found at www.meijer.com.

SOURCE: Fry, Inc.