Boscovs gift registry

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NRF 92nd Annual Convention

Booth 2129

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. & BRANFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 2003

Multi-Channel Solution Enables Retailers To Improve Customer Service,

Increase Revenues, and Reduce Management and Administrative Costs

MarCole, a leading developer of interactive software, and Netkey, a leading provider of applications and management software for enterprise self-service, today announced an alliance to deliver an enhanced in-store gift registry solution that will enable retailers to increase sales and improve the performance of store operations.

The companies will jointly market the solution to retailers, beginning at the National Retail Federation's Annual Conference and Exposition in New York City at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, Jan. 12-13, where MarCole and Netkey are exhibiting in booth 2129.

Under the agreement, the two companies will develop tight integration between MarCole's industry-leading Gift Registry Works application, which can be deployed both online and in-store via kiosks, and Netkey's market-proven Netkey Manager platform, which improves the performance and reliability of networks of self-service kiosks and public-access computer terminals.

The joint MarCole-Netkey solution enables retailers to offer consumers an enhanced gift shopping experience with rich application functionality, while at the same time enjoying robust system security and reliability, with scalable and flexible network monitoring, management, reporting and analysis for improved business performance.

The alliance comes as retailers in the current economy search for technology that can help them simultaneously increase sales, improve efficiencies, enhance customer service, reduce labor costs, and provide a sustainable competitive advantage with a fast and measurable return on investment. Industry analysts Jupiter Research estimate that retail sales influenced by self-service kiosks offering merchandising and customer service applications, such as gift registry, will reach $48.7 billion in 2006.

"As partners, MarCole and Netkey bring together unmatched industry leadership with a flexible and scalable software platform that delivers real-world value and productivity gains for retailers," said Dann Wade, vice president of sales and strategic development for MarCole. "Retailers can now leverage the market's most comprehensive multi-channel gift registry solution to build customer loyalty and positively impact the bottom line."

"Combining MarCole's best-in-class gift registry application with Netkey's industry-standard self-service management solution gives retailers a fast and affordable way to deploy in-store digital merchandising that helps close sales and enhance customer relationships," said Netkey CEO Alex Richardson. "Our joint enhanced gift registry solution lets consumers make better-informed product decisions at the point of purchase and helps businesses differentiate themselves in a competitive retail environment."

About MarCole

MarCole Interactive Systems designs, develops, customizes and installs turnkey interactive systems for the retailing industry. MarCole's Gift RegistryWorks(TM) and CatalogWorks(TM) are widely recognized as the premier retail interactive point of service solution platforms. MarCole's primary focus is to help retailers and their suppliers increase sales, reduce costs, and enhance the consumer shopping experience through interactive point of service technology that extends to all access channels including in-store, the Internet, call centers, and back-end management systems. MarCole's worldwide customers include Neiman Marcus, Linens N' Things, Boscovs Department Stores, Dayton Hudson, Sur La Table, Z Gallerie, Target Australia, Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Office Depot, the good guys, Linen Chest, and the National Football League. More information about MarCole can be found at http://www.marcole.com, via e-mail at sales@marcole.com, or by calling the corporate office at 925/933-9792.

About Netkey

Netkey, Inc. is the premier provider of applications and management software for enterprise self-service. Netkey software helps companies grow sales and increase brand loyalty by reducing the cost and complexity of delivering customer-facing services through kiosks, dedicated computer terminals, and digital signs. Netkey customers include America Online, Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), BMW, Borders Books and Music, E*TRADE, Fidelity Investments and Publix Super Markets. The company holds three U.S. patents for its self-service technology. For more information on Netkey, please contact the company at 800/443-7924, via e-mail at info@netkey.com, or visit Netkey on the Web at www.netkey.com.