Abercrombie & Fitch Expands Online Business With IBM Smarter Commerce

ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the National Retail Federation (NRF) conference in New York City, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced that specialty retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is working with IBM software to help the company transform its online business to achieve the speed, efficiency and adaptability of Smarter Commerce. The initiative is part of Abercombie's strategic goal to expand its Direct-to-Consumer capabilities and drive its e-commerce business to $1 billion.

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"Abercrombie & Fitch Co., and its portfolio of brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co, abercrombie kids, and Gilly Hicks, is growing its e-commerce and cross-channel operation dramatically in the coming years. We require a world-class solution that will scale over time, bolster international expansion, and support cross-channel commerce. IBM's e-commerce and order management solutions meet our requirements for infrastructure, scalability, and future growth," said John Deane, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

With Smarter Commerce, IBM is defining and leading a new market driven by the demands of rapidly shifting customer-buying patterns in the era of mobile and social networks. Smarter Commerce helps retailers achieve brand intimacy by more effectively automating their purchasing, marketing, sales and fulfillment processes to better serve their customers.

Abercrombie & Fitch is using IBM's WebSphere commerce platform for its branded storefronts, both domestically and internationally. The company is adding IBM order management software, which includes call center functions for accessing and updating customer orders, to provide the retailer with the operational foundation it needs to move toward providing seamless, integrated cross-channel solutions.

"Consumers are becoming more connected, and more demanding in their expectations of how they interact with retailers," said Craig Hayman, General Manager, IBM Industry Solutions. "The steps Abercrombie & Fitch are taking to achieve Smarter Commerce will help it continue to deliver quality merchandise, and provide a unique shopping experience that will deepen its relationship with consumers."

For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/smarter_commerce/overview/index.html?re=sph

Founded in 1892, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates more than 1000 stores worldwide, including its namesake Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks as well as e-commerce websites at www.abercrombie.com, www.abercrombiekids.com, www.hollisterco.com and www.gillyhicks.com.

Media Contacts:
Julie Redard
IBM Media Relations
(978) 430-8905
[email protected]

Doug Fraim
IBM Media Relations
(617) 501-6376
[email protected]

SOURCE IBM