Independent analyst firm gives Oracle best overall rating for merchandise management system

AMR Research describes merchandise management as 'the transactional system at the heart of a retailer's business, encompassing capabilities for item data management, price management and execution, purchasing management, inventory management and valuation, and integration to POS applications.' The report was published in May 2006 and titled, 'Retail ERP Suites: Investing in the Backbone of a Modern Retailer.'

The AMR Research report ranked each vendor's functionality in seven categories as basic, progressive, or advanced. The Oracle Retail application suite received the highest number of progressive ratings and tied for the highest number of advanced ratings.

'Retail is an important sector in the Middle East as the fast pace of economic growth and structural development has driven an upsurge in the building of malls and hypermarkets around the region,' commented Dana Murugan, Senior Director, Marketing, Oracle Middle East and Africa. 'Customers such as Landmark, Kamal Osman Jamjoon and Dubai Duty Free have been delighted with the outcome of Oracle Retail, and the positive economic value they have derived from implementing the systems.

'The AMR Research report validates our strategy to deliver significant business value to our customers,' said Duncan Angove, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Oracle Retail. 'For any retailer looking to move beyond their legacy systems onto an integrated platform, Oracle Retail offers the strongest springboard through our merchandising solution. Merchandise management is that springboard.'

AMR Research limited their review to eleven retail ERP vendors who met their criteria of 'core merchandise management functionality' with a footprint in at least three other functional areas: Supply Chain Execution, Retail Planning, Store Operations and Corporate Administration.