SPAR's TIME SPECIFIC MERCHANDISING FILLS SHELVES AND CASH REGISTERS

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., July 1, 2002 - Some products MUST be stocked in a short time window. They include new items awaiting national advertising campaigns that drive customers into the stores. And high-volume, high-profit items that fly out during weekends and holidays.

If they're merchandised and available in time, the chain makes a fortune. If not, the chain frustrates its customers who go elsewhere and may not return.

That's why SPAR Group created retail merchandising programs for time-specific products. SPAR employs the industry's most advanced Internet communications technologies, and renowned human resource capabilities, to get high-profit items on the shelves in rapid time.

SPAR supports heavily-advertised items like home videos that bring millions of customers into retail stores at launch time. They perform cut-ins and replenishments that can ready an entire 2,000-store national chain in one day.

SPAR also sets high-volume, high-profit items associated with weekends and holidays that are boosted by manufacturer advertising and promotion campaigns. These include many beverages, snack foods, charcoals and similar items that are at risk of being out-of-stock at the very time consumers want them most. and the money spent by manufacturers to build sales and share actually creates frustrated consumers and disappointed retailers.

Their SWARMT service is specifically designed to provide a rapid response to immediate or critical in-store needs whenever or wherever it might be required. Specially-designated teams of merchandising specialists are provided with stringent, time-specific assignments and their performance is tracked on a real-time basis by several of SPAR's exclusive field reporting systems.

An even more highly targeted version of SWARM is SPAR's new program called Weekender Stocking ServiceT. It uses sophisticated sales analyses to stay on top of inventory requirements plus Internet-based logistical deployment to rapidly replenish stocks at the most sales-critical locations during very limited high-volume selling times. Manufacturers and retailers reap the benefits of increased demand: greater high-profit incremental sales. and the SPAR service pays for itself many times over.

Using either client-supplied POS information or direction provided through its proprietary analytical software, SPAR determines when and where target items are most likely to be out-of-stock in the highest-volume stores. SPAR then deploys its experienced retail merchandisers, often with only a few hours notice, to execute the restocking that assures incremental sales and a significant ROI on "high-volume days" buying.

SPAR's Weekender Stocking Service is the first such program to combine advanced data gathering and analytical tools with a proprietary "rapid response" field deployment capability. "We're able to solve the two most challenging aspects of weekend restocking at almost the same time," said Kori Belzer, head of SPAR's merchandising operations. "We can determine where the out-of-stock is most likely to occur and almost immediately send someone in to fix it. It's another way our unique Internet capabilities create 'Speed-to-Shelf' for our clients".

In addition to its role in deploying merchandisers, SPAR's Internet-based, interactive communications system also keeps SPAR field managers in continuous, real-time contact with people at store level -- merchandisers and retailer personnel -- assuring the fastest resolution possible to the issues that inevitably accompany heavy sales demand.

Weekender Stocking Service can be put to use in supermarkets, convenience stores, drug chains and mass merchandisers to replenish end-aisles, shelves and off-shelf displays.

SPAR is America's leading retail merchandising company, delivering more product to more consumers - faster, better and more effectively. To learn more about SPAR's SWARM or Weekender Stocking Service, call 914-332-1400, email servingyou@sparinc.com or check www.sparinc.com.