SPAR's "SPEED TO SHELF" MERCHANDISING BOOSTS PRODCUT LAUNCH SUCCESS

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., April 12, 2002 -- How many product launches fail when the multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns run, eager customers rush to the stores but the product isn't there yet? Product managers tear their hair out and manufacturers/ retailers lose enormous profits.

To solve this problem, SPAR Merchandising announces a system that speeds product to shelf and even guarantees product availability by launch date. SPAR deploys advanced Internet technologies, superior field management and extensive human resources to deliver unmatched retail merchandising success.

SPAR has improved its ability to install and stock new products on POP displays and shelves, to where it consistently reduces traditional industry time frames by whole weeks. And that means dramatically increased sales and improved ROI's for its clients.

For example, SPAR installed and stocked a large and complex display for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" videocassettes and DVDs in 95 percent of all 2,100 Kmart stores nationwide in only one day, and had all stores stocked in less than two days.

SPAR has accomplished these exceptional performance levels because of its superior, industry-leading Internet-based technologies. Besides automatic coordination of displays, product inventories and merchandising specialists with assigned installation dates, the real-time, interactive nature of SPAR's store-level communications allows uploading of reset progress to SPAR and client computers, as it is taking place.

In addition to its technology, SPAR also possesses the other critical element for delivering uncommon "speed to shelf" -- extensive human resources.

For example, in addition to weekly, and often twice-weekly, coverage in all Kmarts, SPAR services all 2,500 locations of a major drug retailer every other week. They install advertising materials in 10,000 mass merchant and grocery stores every month. And they're still able to perform traditional resets and remodels in tens of thousands of grocery stores nationwide whenever requested.

SPAR is so confident of its "Speed to Shelf" capabilities that it provides the industry's only performance execution guarantee, that designates nearly 100 percent merchandising of all stores within a specified time period. The guarantee offers to pay a penalty for any stores missed (beyond the specified level), and SPAR will complete any missed stores at its own expense.

SPAR has been merchandising retail shelves across the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia for decades and now serves Japan. Since the 1960s, they designed renowned computer and Internet technologies that track and improve trade promotions.

SPAR prides itself on getting more products to more consumers -- faster, better and more accurately. By stocking the right products in the shortest amount of time, SPAR significantly increases ROI for manufacturers and retailers alike.

To learn more about SPAR Merchandising and its unmatched "Speed to Shelf" program, call 914-332-1400, email servingyou@sparinc.com or check www.sparinc.com.