New Seasons Market Taps Aptaris to Boost Promo Effectiveness
New Seasons Market inked a multi-year agreement with Aptaris to provide marketing and promotions management solutions. The Aptaris enterprise software will aim to strengthen New Seasons Market’s business processes, build capacity without adding staff, and improve its ability to strategically select and manage promotions.
“The vendor portal and promotions management system will build capacity into the team by eliminating unnecessary repetitive and manual tasks,” according to John Boyle, director of merchandising and buying for the 13-store, Portland, Ore.-based grocer. “Aptaris delivers an enhanced promotions management system that provides the merchandising and marketing team a business process to streamline deal negotiation, promotional item selection, weekly mapping and ad building, sales forecasting, event analytics and ROI, and inventory forecasting.”
The Aptaris solution automates key functions for New Seasons Market to operate more efficiently, driving down costs and errors, including:
- Adding new items and vendors
- Tracking item costs and changes
- Entering manufacturer deals and managing selected promotional offers
- Building ads across multiple communications channels
- Creating digital contracts and providing proof-of-performance to vendors
- Providing easy-to-access history for tracking trends and analyzing opportunities
- Connecting systems and closing the loop from vendor deal initiation and item offer selection to ad creation, sales performance and vendor bill-backs
“Retailers must offer more attractive deals and appealing promotions to remain competitive today,” said Tom O’Reilly, CEO of Aptaris, adding: "New Seasons Market has discovered that you don’t have to be a large retail chain with a huge IT department to invest in a comprehensive promotion management solution – and to see an immediate pay-out.”
As the first grocer in the world to become a Certified B Corporation, New Seasons Market gives 10 percent of its after-tax profits to hundreds of nonprofit organizations that work to end hunger, educate youth and protect the environment. In 2013 alone, the company donated to more than 900 local nonprofits and community organizations. With nearly 3,000 employees, the independently owned grocer operates 13 stores in the Portland-Vancouver area and is one of the Portland area’s largest private employers. Five additional stores are scheduled to open between fall 2014 and spring 2016. In November 2013, New Seasons Market acquired Santa Cruz-based New Leaf Community Market, which operates eight locations in California’s Central Coast region.