Claraview Introduces Best-in-Class Retail Data Warehouse; Large and Mid-Size Retailers Can Leverage out-of-the-Box Best-Practice Analytics Rapidly Deployed in Their Preferred Technology Environment.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- Claraview, Inc., a Business Intelligence strategy and technology company, announced today the release of the Claraview Retail Data Warehouse (RDW), a packaged solution that enables large and mid-size retailers to rapidly deploy best-practice analytics covering the full scope of retail operations.

Claraview RDW addresses the demand for near real-time retail analytics, a must for survival in the ultra-competitive retail industry. To achieve the desired level of operational insight, most large and mid-size retailers are faced with either deploying a brand-new analytical application or augmenting an existing application with new capabilities to fill analytic gaps. In either case, these retailers risk "reinventing the wheel" and spending unnecessary time on essentials such as a workable data model, data loading routines, and basic report templates.

Claraview RDW combines out-the-box retail performance metrics with a comprehensive retail-specific enterprise data model to deliver pre-packaged analytics for the full spectrum of retail operations, including Supply Chain Optimization, Corporate Performance Management, and Demand Management. Claraview RDW leverages pre-built application metadata and reporting templates, and can be implemented using the retailer's preferred data warehouse and business intelligence platforms.

"Claraview combines retail domain knowledge and deep business intelligence technology expertise," said Lisa Webster, Lead Decision Support Analyst of Hannaford Bros. Co., a long-standing Claraview client. "It has helped us deploy critical business analytics, improve all aspects of our business, and make business intelligence a critical component of our operations."

Major features of Claraview RDW include:

--  Claraview Retail Analytics Workbench

    --  Out-of-the-box best practice reporting templates.

    --  Role- and permission-based interfaces for different users,
        including executives, merchandisers, store managers and
        customer service staff.

    --  Pre-built application metadata for leading business
        intelligence platforms such as Business Objects, Cognos, and
        MicroStrategy.

--  Claraview Retail Data Model

    --  Enterprise retail data model optimized for reporting and
        analytics.

    --  Integrated with the Association for Retail Technology
        Standards (ARTS) operational data model.

    --  Expandable to meet individual retailer's requirements.

    --  Designed for implementation on any of the leading data
        warehouse platforms, including IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server,
        NCR Teradata, Netezza, and Oracle, and using any of the
        leading data integration platforms, including Informatica and
        IBM WebSphere DataStage.

AMR's "Retail IT Budget Study, 2004-2005" shows that 52% of retailers are looking to either add on to or replace their BI systems as part of their information infrastructure strategies. By offering codified retail best practices that can snap into an existing environment, Claraview RDW dramatically accelerates augmentation of existing BI systems as well as deployment of brand-new systems.

Retailers, who purchase Claraview RDW, also benefit from The Claraview Way, Claraview's methodology for deploying business intelligence applications. The Claraview Way compartmentalizes delivery steps and offers fixed time-frame and resource requirements for project completion.

"We are proud to offer the benefits of a best-in-class retail data warehouse that fits a retailer's specific needs, does not have the typical technology strings attached, and can be up and running rapidly and predictably," said Dan Ross, Claraview's VP of Professional Services and Retail Practice Leader.

About Claraview, Inc.

Claraview is a strategy and technology consultancy that helps leading companies and government agencies use business intelligence (BI) to achieve competitive advantage and operational excellence. Founded in 2001, Claraview differentiates itself with its BI focus, depth of experience, and objective, vendor-neutral approach. Claraview's 100+ consultants understand the business context of projects and provide insight into the ways business intelligence can add strategic value to an organization. Claraview clients include retail leaders such as Catalina Marketing, Hannaford Bros. Co., Lowe's Companies, and Office Depot. www.claraview.com

Claraview, Claraview, Inc., and Claraview RDW are trademarks or registered trademarks of Claraview, Inc. All other company and product names are property of their respective owners.