Since 1991 MarCole has been the undisputed leader in providing turnkey, proven interactive systems that are flexible, modular and offer a multi-user single solution for both in-store kiosk and Internet use, along with a full range of back-end management resources.
The Company established its industry leading position through several important strategic achievements:
1985 ByVideo and Florshiem Involvement
Ron Coleman, MarCole CEO and Founder, is part of the team managing the development of the first successful interactive shopping system utilizing touch screen and videodisk technologies in a joint venture with ByVideo, Inc. In a landmark implementation Florshiem Shoes installed that kiosk system in several hundred retail stores where it was used successfully for over ten years. That system became the benchmark for innovative self-service shopping technology, and Ron leveraged his experience and unique insight with this technology to address new emerging markets, namely gift registry and electronic catalog solutions.
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1991 MarCole Enterprises, Inc. is Established
After several years of research and product development, Ron Coleman and Sandy Markus launch their new interactive system through the establishment of MarCole Enterprises.
1991 Oneida and Noritake Sign On
MarCole presents the initial electronic catalog system to senior executives from several tabletop manufacturers at their bi-annual products show in New York. Response to the technology is overwhelming and Oneida Silversmiths and Noritake China immediately contract with MarCole to load their product data and images into the MarCole system.
"Most of our orders from retailers are being processed electronically, direct from the retailer's computer to ours. With the emphasis on smaller inventories, rapid turnaround of orders, and the increasing use of interactive units, MarCole's system is a great opportunity to extend communication networks directly to store customers."
Pete Fobare, Sr. VP and GM, Oneida Silversmiths
1991 IBM Supports MarCole
In an early strategic partnership, IBM invests equipment, software and assistance to help develop the initial electronic catalog prototype and scan product images into the system; thereby producing the world's first interactive database-driven system displaying high quality digital images, in an age prior to large hard drives, efficient communication networks, and advanced compression technology.
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1992 Overwhelming Response at New York Tabletop Show
MarCole demonstrates the world's first CatalogWorks system for retailers in the Oneida and Noritake showrooms at the New York Tabletop Show.
"I think it is an extremely good concept. We would not have invested the money, photography, and in-house time had we not thought it worthwhile. Point-of-sale support is increasingly important to vendors like us. The MarCole System lets a sales person show the customer a Spode soup tureen that sells for $1,500, that the store would never stock."
Bill McKinney, President, The Royal China and Porcelain Co.
"We are happy with the system. The vexed question of low depth of stocking dinnerware is a growing problem and retailers' shelf space is shrinking. The system copes with these difficulties. Noritake, for example, can have anything between 40 to 140 patterns in its ranges and there's no way retailers will display every pattern's soup tureen. It will sell patterns like a catalogue and its real strength is the fact that it delivers a good visual image."
Floyd Sullivan, Noritake
1992 Over 10,000 Products are Photographed and Scanned
MarCole enhances it's technology base by becoming a content provider for both high-quality images and item descriptions; initially focusing on the tabletop market (china, crystal, silver, etc.) as these lines are most commonly associated with wedding registries. Oneida, Nortitake, Waterford, Wedgwood and Reed & Barton are the first manufacturers to contract with MarCole.
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1993 First Installation in China, Silver and Crystal Shop
With the Gift RegistryWorks programming complete and the proprietary product content loaded, MarCole's electronic catalog beta test was installed in the China, Silver and Crystal Shop in Seattle, Washington in March 1993. Interviews with sales associates and management, and consumer surveys all reported very high levels of satisfaction, recording a new milestone for desired shopping channels and opening a new market for interactive retail technology.
1993 Transactional Electronic Catalog Installed in Dayton Hudson Stores
MarCole installs the world's first digital electronic catalog with images and item information for over 10,000 products in Daytons, Hudsons, and Marshall Fields department stores.
These groundbreaking interactive systems are fully transactional tabletop electronic catalog with tabletop product content. The systems accept national credit cards, captured the signature of the purchaser and provide extra customer service options such as the ability to identify the shipping location, select gift-wrap and compose an enclosure card. The systems interfaced with Dayton Hudson's central systems for price look-up, inventory availability and reservation, order processing and fulfillment, credit card authorization, and sales posting.
"In our stores we have had a very positive response from our customers. They like using the system and it has encouraged sales. I regard it as an absolutely first rate investment."
Debra Remington, Dayton Hudson.
"We're very interested in MarCole's system as it provides us with additional merchandise and increased sales without increasing our inventory costs and retail space requirements."
Jim Stirratt, Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of the Home Division for Dayton's, Hudson's and Marshall Field's.
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1994 Dayton Hudson installs Gift RegistryWorks
Dayton Hudson expands their system functionality and installs MarCole's fully integrated Gift RegistryWorks with e-commerce through in-store kiosks. The groundbreaking systems set records for sales transactions in less than 3 months.
"The initial test told us the customer was very interested and receptive to the kiosks. It also told us the customer wanted the ability to purchase something through it."
Pat Norton, Senior Project Manager, Dayton Hudson Corp., HFN, April 24, 1995.
"An interactive system is the natural progression for our existing computerized gift registry. We'll be able to offer our customers a convenient, comprehensive and exciting new way to send gifts and shop for themselves from one of the country's largest tabletop assortments."
Susan Boren, Senior Vice President for Customer Development/Direct Response, Dayton Hudson Department Store Division, Kitchenware News, June 1995.
1994 Additional Manufacturers Signup
Content in the tabletop system continues to grow with the addition of six manufacturers and 12 brands. In an unprecedented move, Denby, International Silver, Phaltzgraff, Lunt, Pickard, Ralph Lauren, Royal Worcester, Spode, Swid Powell, Towle, Villeroy & Boch and Wallace agreed to load their product data into the MarCole system. Accordingly, MarCole's visual library of merchandise content establishes a new benchmark for the delivery of electronic catalog and gift registry software.
1994 Electronic Catalog Installed in Consumer Electronics Stores
As the potential of MarCole's interactive technology reaches new markets, the computer and consumer electronics industry takes advantage. The good guys, west coast consumer electronics chain contracts with MarCole for an informational electronic catalog system to display computers and accessory products and interface to POS for pricing. The test was so successful; the company later distributed the systems to stores and the corporate office.
We're excited about the possibilities of additional customer service this allows us to bring into our stores. The customer responses have been very positive in our focus groups and field interviews. We're very pleased with the work MarCole has done for us."
Mark Sullivan, Director of Business Development, The Good Guys
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1995 Sporting Goods, Shoes, and Furniture Now on Kiosks
MarCole implements CatalogWorks with e-commerce on kiosks for the Army/Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) to extend sales for shoes, furniture, sporting goods and electronics.
MarCole won a contract in the fall of 1994 with the Army/Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) to develop a transactional interactive electronic catalog for the Exchange Mail Order division. The Exchange Mail Order Division wanted to try to market its products electronically in Exchanges. Systems were installed displaying sporting goods, shoes, furniture, and consumer electronics. The systems proved operationally very sound and were fully transactional, accepting credit cards and all necessary military information to process an order.
1995 Office Depot Utilizies 'DynSel'
MarCole implements CatalogWorks™ and invents "DynSel" for installation in Office Depot's new concept super stores to provide cutting edge product selection and sales information systems used by both customers and sales personnel.
In the summer of 1995, with only four weeks notice, MarCole installed standalone electronic catalog systems in Office Depot's first mega store in Las Vegas displaying computer products and accessories. In the fall of 1995, the system was interfaced for pricing, the content expanded to include office furniture and business machines as well as computers and accessories, and a store directory module was developed.
DynSEL (Dynamic Search Selection) is a powerful search engine, which provides intelligent searching based on definable product-specific search criteria that eliminates the possibility of "No Record Found".
"MarCole's system provides customers with accurate, up-to-date information about a wide range of Office Depot products, including many that are highly complex. By making the shopping experience simple, fast and enjoyable for customers, Office Depot stores are able to generate increased customer satisfaction and increased sales."
Mike Phillips, Special Projects Manager, Office Depot, Inc.
1995 Winner of the 1995 "Best End cap Display Award"
from the San Francisco Ad Club for Point-Of Purchase advertising.
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1996 Reading China and More Installs GiftRegistryWorks and CatalogWorks
MarCole introduces a new level of system integration with an installation for Reading China and More stores, incorporating an electronic catalog, gift registry system, centralized server, and extension of the gift registry system to the Internet.
MarCole installed systems comprising the tabletop electronic catalog and gift registry system (including the new image-based self-registry capability) in Reading China and More stores and a central server at the corporate office. The systems were networked through the central server, which maintained a centralized registry database. Reading declared the pilots were a success and decided to rollout the systems all 23 stores. Reading also implemented a Web site allowing customers to access its gift registry system, which is MarCole's centralized registry database, from the Internet.
"Reading China & More is recognized in the industry as the authority for the kitchen and dining room. With the implementation of the MarCole Gift Registry and Interactive Shopping System, we are positioning our stores to be the "authority" on Gift and Bridal Registry and Interactive Shopping. The MarCole System is state of the art, as it is both functional and easy to use."
Joe Bizarro, Reading China and More CFO.
1996 MarCole Award of Excellence
In July 1996, MarCole was awarded the Interactive Services Association's (ISA) Interactive Marketing Best Multimedia Application Award. As the "voice" of the interactive industry, the Interactive Services Association (ISA) represents 350 companies providing interactive services to consumers including on-line, entertainment, advertising, Internet, financial, screen telephone, telephone, direct marketing, interactive television, publishing and cable services among others. The awards, presented annually by the ISA, recognize the industry's finest. In awarding MarCole the honor, the ISA judges "praised the kiosk's useful graphics and said that the application really serves a valuable purpose."
1996 Handheld Barcode Scanners Implemented
The introduction of scanners, allowing a user to scan the barcode of any item in the store to add items to their registry list, has saved both the registrant and store personnel hours of time. MarCole also introduced a new self-registry option - the ability to register by touching the images of the product and a quantity on the screen.
1996 MarCole Goes to the Super Bowl
MarCole contracts with the NFL to implement CatalogWorks™ with e-commerce at SuperBowl XXXI for the league's first NFL Experience interactive fan exhibit. For the first time, fans at the Super Bowl could take home souvenirs of their favorite NFL teams without having to lug them on a plane!
MarCole developed a fully transactional electronic catalog system displaying licensed goods, which operated at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans in January 1997. NFL Properties licenses manufacturers of goods to utilize National Football League (NFL) team colors and logos on products for sale. MarCole designed an electronic catalog system for NFL Properties to merchandise 28 "At Home" products such as bedding, bath accessories, wastebaskets, lamps and phones in each of the 31 NFL teams' colors and logos. The system was installed at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans in January 1997. Fans select a type of product and instantly see extensive product information and high quality, full color photography of the merchandise available. For the first time, fans at the Super Bowl could take home souvenirs of their favorite NFL teams without having to lug them on a plane! The system runs on the Windows NT operating system and is fully transactional allowing the fan to easily purchase items seen on the system. The user simply touches the item and team of choice, provides shipping information and inserts a credit card. Upon credit authorization, a receipt prints, the order is transmitted for fulfillment and the purchase is shipped to the delivery address indicated by the consumer. After the event, the NFL began demonstrating the system to manufacturers and retailers with the intention of implementing systems in retail locations.
1996 Piercing Pagoda Expands Inventory through CatalogWorks
MarCole contracts with Piercing Pagoda to implement an electronic catalog solution incorporating high resolution images, dynamic search capabilities, and special order processing. The system will enable Piercing Pagoda to display and sell a wide variety of merchandise, which is not typically available in stock.
Piercing Pagoda is a jewelry retailer with about 720 kiosk stores of approximately 150 square feet each in malls throughout America. Due to the small spaces, MarCole developed an electronic catalog to display jewelry merchandise. MarCole produced the photography of the product with IBM at IBM's digital imaging labs research facility in White Plains, NY utilizing the highest quality digital image capturing technology available. The system is designed for product look-up and information by enabling the consumer and sales associate to search for specific product based on descriptive features of the item, a powerful capability of MarCole's system. The system provides information about products the store stocks and serves as a special order system for those items the store does not stock. Over time, the system will allow Piercing Pagoda to dramatically increase the product assortment and inventory available in any of its stores.
Initial market research:
100% thought the photos accurately represented their products.
88% would make a purchase from the system.
88% thought the overall programming/design was excellent or good.
Customer Comments:
"I think it's a good idea to show more jewelry ... jewelry not in showcase."
"Easy to use, fast, and wonderful likenesses of items."
"Touch screen was very easy to use. It's very explanatory, pictures look great."
"Very informative."
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1997 First Housewares Manufacturer
MarCole continues to expand its content by contracting to load and display product for MarCole's first housewares manufacturer - Conair, the manufacturer of Cuisinart products.
1997 First International Account
MarCole contracts with Coles Myers, the parent company for Target Australia, operating over 110 stores, to implement Gift RegistryWorks with a custom maintenance system running on AIX. Coles Myers later expanded the systems into Baby Target and Home Target Australia.
1997 First Multilingual Sytem for Linens'n Things
MarCole contracts with Linens'n Things to provide Gift Registry systems for all 210+ stores. The system includes assisted registry creation; handheld barcode scanner and touch screen enabled self-service registry lookup capabilities with POS sales processing integration. The registry covers multiple events and is available in English and Spanish.
1997 Partnership with NCR
MarCole establishes a joint marketing agreement with NCR to support the introduction of the first self-service, fully integrated web-based kiosk, providing both electronic catalog and gift registry applications.
1997 Beall's Department Stores
installed MarCole's text-based gift registry system in the first of its new 70,000 square foot superstores to feature expanded gift selections. Beall's has not had a gift registry system before and is using the gift registry system for Wedding registrations as well as actively marketing it for Baby and Anniversary registrations. MarCole loaded Beall's entire item file onto the system so product could be accessed quickly and easily. Beall's operates 57 department stores in the southeast U.S.
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1998 NCR Investment
NCR invests funding to assist with MarCole's multi-channel web browser based system development.
1998 MarCole Expands Gift Registry to the Internet
While avoiding the pitfalls of the "dotcom" era MarCole introduces the world's first web-based Internet gift registry system that combines both in-store and Internet systems together using a single database. HomePlace, ZCMI, and Linens 'n Things were among the first to purchase the Internet upgrade.
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1999 Boscov's Department Stores Installs In-Store and Online
MarCole installed 58 Gift RegistryWorks systems in the 29 Boscov store locations and connected the registries for realtime lookup and updating on the Internet.
1999 Linens'n Things Expands System to Internet
LNT added web access with the ability to find a gift registry, pre-register and update registries. The ability to view and select items for the registry with full descriptions and images and fully integrated e-commerce were added in 2000.
1999 HomePlace of America and Waccamaw Install Gift RegistryWorks™
HomePlace of America, the home décor superstore, has 120 store locations with 240 systems installed in-store and on the Internet. HomePlace initially installed in-store systems in 1998, added the web browser in 1999 and expanded into all Waccamaw stores immediately after their merger in July of 1999.
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2000 House2Home Opens with Gift RegistryWorks
HomeBase, a leading home improvement chain opts to re-invent its retail presence as House2Home, a full-scale home decorating superstore. MarCole is asked to provide a full service multi-channel gift registry system incorporating a browser-based application, central database, handheld barcode scanners, POS interface, automated inventory management, and both self-service kiosk and assisted service registry stations.
2000 Independent Retailer Version Developed
After several years of R&D, MarCole embarks on the development of a gift registry solution specifically designed for the Independent Retailer. The system provides a text based full function gift registry system for installation in the retail store. The system can be enhanced by adding hand held barcode scanners, POS sales processing, self-service touch screen access and Internet access as desired. As part of an aggressive field study, MarCole partners with the Gourmet Retailer, who showcases the yearlong market implementation at Cooks Emporium with a series of on-going articles about the solution.
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2000 All Customers Upgraded to Version 5 of Gift RegistryWorks
MarCole completes the Gift RegistryWorks upgrade of all customers from version 4 to version 5 and enables ecommerce for Independent Retailers.
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2001 Ports to Linux and Websphere
MarCole maintains its position of product "platform independence" by presenting its Gift RegistryWorks platform running on Linux at Linux World in San Francisco.
Additionally, MarCole leads the way by working with IBM to integrate the Gift RegistryWorks and CatalogWorks software platforms into the Websphere product line.
2001 Partnerships with GAA, NBS & NTGA
With the first phase for the introduction of the Independent Retailer Gift Registry Solution complete, MarCole announces extended release of the system and strategic partnerships with industry leaders including the Gift Association of America, National Bridal Service, and the National Tabletop and Gift Association.
2001 Sur La Table Replaces WeddingNetwork with MarCole
MarCole contracts with Sur La Table to replace their online WeddingNetwork.com gift registry system with a full service multi-channel solution supporting both the in-store and the Internet access.
2001 Neiman Marcus Chooses MarCole for their Gift Registry System
MarCole contracts with Neiman Marcus to implement in-store and online gift registry utilizing MarCole's newest version 5 J2EE software running with IBM's Websphere Application Server. The implementation will involve several new technology introductions, including wireless barcode scanning software, backend integration, and a custom graphical user interface.
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2002 Z Gallerie Installs Kiosks
MarCole contracts with Z Gallerie, an upscale home furnishings retail chain, for a multi-phase system implementation of several MarCole solutions, which begin with a full-service gift registry and back-end interface.
2002 Wins First Prize
MarCole again presents at Linux World, this time running on the new IBM Integrated E-Server Platform, and wins first prize for the advanced E-Server Platform Offering.
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2003 Independent Retailer Edition Launched
Marcole enhances its customer base by launching a hosted Independent Retailer Edition of Gift RegistryWorks. Designed to give independent retailers an in-store and on-line gift registry system at a minimal cost, the system requires no technical expertise on the part of the retailer. MarCole will add eCommerce functionality to this system in 2004.
2003 MarCole Rolls-Out New SDK
MarCole recently announced its new Software Development Kit (SDK) for MarCole's Gift RegistryWorks. The SDK leverages Gift RegistryWork's highly developed system functionality into a scalable developer tool that allows retailers to quickly design and easily integrate a multi-channel gift registry solution utilizing their own IT and design staff.
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2004 MarCole and NetKey Partner to Offer Retailers Enhanced Gift Registry
Under the agreement, the two companies will develop tight integration between MarCole's industry-leading Gift RegistryWorks application, which can be deployed both on-line 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.
2004 Best Interface Design
Gift RegistryWorks wins an Honorable Mention for Best Interface Design in the prestigious 5th Annual Kiosk Magazine Awards
"MarCole's Gift RegistryWorks has fully integrated the complexity of many requirements into one single, user-friendly interface. The interface of Gift RegistryWorks is an excellent blend of consistent information architecture as well as interaction design that provides easy access to information. Built around the need of any gift registry program, Gift RegistryWorks is an efficient user interface that is intuitive and features extensive dynamic search capabilities, and displays high-quality images of registered items."
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2005 Version 6 of GRW is Introduced
Significant enhancements in Version 6 includes:
Migration of the administrative registry manager module from a Windows application to a platform independent J2EE application.
Improved features and functionality for loading and maintaining retailer product information; including the ability to create retailer defined grouping or collections comprised of multiple SKU's. For example: an assemble of kitchen utensils, matched place mats and napkins, or a BBQ accessories and cookbook kit.
Advanced item search capability, making it easier to find and select items when adding them to a registry on-line.
Database performance enhancements, resulting in faster registry retrieval.
Enhanced user permissions, facilitating varied levels of administrative authority.
2005 Academy Sports & Outdoors
With Academy Sports & Outdoors is one of the nation's largest sporting goods retailers, operating over 80 stores across the southeastern United States. In October of 2005, Academy implemented Gift RegistryWorks in the store on a touch-screen kiosk and online. The software was deployed on IBM's latest v6 - network deployment of Websphere on Linux, using DB2 v8.2 for the database.
2005 Scheels All Sports Superstore
Scheels' first All Sports Superstore opened in Grand Forks, ND in 1989. Today Scheels' 22 stores provide customers the world's largest selection of sports, sports wear and footwear. They installed the instore, touch screen version of Gift RegistryWorks.
2005 New Low Cost Gift Registry for Independent Retailers
The Independent version of Gift RegistryWorks was revamped and is now offered on a month-to-month software-as-a-service basis. The new Independent Retailer Edition is a hosted solution where all the software resides on an IBM secure facility, eliminating the need for any software installation and potential retailer software conflict problems. It is a full-featured, modular, hosted service, starting at $127 a month. It enables independent retailers to offer their customers all the registry features the big guys provide - without the need to invest in special software or hardware; all that is needed is a PC and an internet connection.
The Internet functionality can be linked to a retailers existing web site, or MarCole can build one for less than $600 and host it for $15 a month. All web components are professionally branded with the retailers' logo, colors and selected images. There is no long-term contract, and with the modular structure, retailers only pay for the features they need and they can change the options or cancel at any time.
2005 Marcole and MarketLive Partner
Marcole Enterprises, Inc., a leading provider of in-store and Internet Gift Registry systems for multi-channel retailers and MarketLive, Inc., the leading developer of e-commerce retail technology and services for Intelligent Selling on the Web, announced the integration of Gift RegistryWorks into the MarketLive E-Commerce Platform. This integrated technology enables retailers to create, integrate and optimize additional customer touch points, thereby providing a consistent shopping experience for the customer within a true multi-channel gift registry and online shopping environment.
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2006 Online Shopping Solution
CatalogWorks, MarCole's Online Shopping Solution, was upgraded from a client-server to a web based application and seamlessly integrated with Gift RegistryWorks. Customers using both applications can now shop for themselves when making gift purchases or vice versa and use a single integrated market basket for checkout. CatalogWorks can be used independently of, or in conjunction with Gift RegistryWorks. It features an extremely intuitive and powerful user interface making it easy for customers to easily find and buy desired items.
2006 Independent Retailer Version Attracts New Markets
Independent Retailers continue to enroll in Gift RegistryWorks at a rapid pace. The growth has been in retailers ranging in size from one to twenty stores and focused not only on the traditional Tabletop, Kitchenware and Baby products but on categories such as Jewelry, Sporting Goods, Hardware, Electronics, Apparel, and Furniture.
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