RSAG Announces Launch of ERI eXchange Incorporating the Annual Retail Systems Conference & Exposition.

NEWTON, Mass. -- Retail Systems Alert Group (RSAG) launches ERI eXchange, the Conference & Expo for the Extended Retail Industry. This show incorporates the annual Retail Systems[R] Conference & Exposition while extending its reach beyond technology to the key business issues facing the extended retail industry today. The event will be held June 4-7, 2007 at the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) in Boston, Massachusetts.

ERI eXchange 2007 will attract both line of business (LOB) and IT professionals in the extended retail industry. The conference will highlight how the industry addresses pressing business issues and offer actionable information on the processes and technology applications that are most relevant to them.

"RSAG spent three months performing in-depth research with solution providers and industry practitioners through focus groups and individual surveys to determine what type of event would be most beneficial to the industry," noted Brian Kilcourse, President & CEO, RSAG. "Results show that there is still a need for an exposition showcasing the latest technologies but that there is also a need for an event with more targeted networking opportunities for attendees.

According to Tom Friedman, Founder and Chairman of Retail Systems Alert Group, "Our research found that content is still king, and this has been in our corporate DNA since the company's beginnings more than two decades ago. This new hybrid event concept, held in a modern venue, is appealing to both exhibitors and attendees alike."

ERI eXchange 2007 will be held in the Boston's new, state-of-the-art convention center, just 15 minutes from Logan International Airport. BCEC is one of the most user-friendly and easy-to-access convention centers in the country. The event will also offer opportunities for close interaction between solution providers and attendees through unique networking events such as the first annual ERI eXchange Golf Challenge, the Retail Excellence Tour, and the Fenway Park Tour.

"There are many in the retail industry who feel that innovation is dead," commented Paula Rosenblum, VP of Content & Research at RSAG. "We believe that innovation is alive and well, and it is important to provide the industry with an event that showcases it; the new event format will highlight industry winners who are driving ROI and improving the customer experience."

For more information about the event, please visit www.eri-exchange.com

About RSAG

ERI eXchange is produced by RSAG. For more than 20 years, RSAG has been covering the extended retail industry through its conferences, print, and online channels. Offering market-driven original industry research combined with the media channels to distribute it, it is the only integrated media & research company run by former retailers and focused exclusively on the extended retail industry.