Wilsons Leather Selects GSI Commerce as Single-Source E-Commerce Provider to Build & Manage New Online Store
Comprehensive Solution To Power Integrated, Online Environment
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., April 28, 2004 – GSI Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: GSIC), today announced it has partnered with Wilsons Leather Direct, Inc., the e-commerce arm of Wilsons The Leather Experts Inc. (Nasdaq: WLSN), the leading specialty retailer of leather outerwear, accessories and apparel in the United States, to provide a single-sourced, e-commerce solution for the Wilsons Leather online store.
Under terms of the agreement, GSI Commerce will provide Wilsons Leather, based in Brooklyn Park, Minn., with e-commerce technology, customer service, Web site design, site hosting, content development, online marketing services and fulfillment.
The new site is expected to launch in the third quarter of 2004, before Wilsons Leather’s peak selling season begins in October. Until then, consumers can continue to shop the current online store, at www.wilsonsleather.com. The new site, when launched, will retain the same Web address.
“We partnered with GSI Commerce because they wrap a wealth of technology, online merchandising and fulfillment expertise into a single comprehensive solution for e-commerce,” said Jeffrey Orton, chief information officer for Wilsons Leather. “With GSI’s expertise as a single-source provider of e-commerce solutions, we expect to offer a better managed online shopping environment for our customers, as well as gain fulfillment efficiencies. With GSI Commerce as our partner, we look to more fully develop our online capabilities and rapidly grow our business.”
“Wilsons Leather adds a strong specialty brand to our growing list of partners in the apparel category,” said Michael G. Rubin, chairman and chief executive officer of GSI Commerce. “We believe our expertise in building and managing comprehensive e-commerce solutions will provide the Wilsons Leather online store with a platform on which the company can best leverage its brand.”
About GSI Commerce
GSI Commerce provides an e-commerce solution enabling retailers, branded manufacturers, entertainment companies and professional sports organizations to operate e-commerce businesses. The company’s e-commerce solution includes Web site design, e-commerce technology, managed hosting, order fulfillment, customer service, merchandising and order management, online merchandising, customer relationship management, content development and online marketing. The company operates either all or a portion of the e-commerce businesses for more than 40 partners.
About Wilsons Leather
Wilsons Leather is the leading specialty retailer of leather outerwear, accessories and apparel in the United States. As of April 3, 2004, Wilsons Leather operated 460 stores located in 45 states and the District of Columbia, including 336 mall stores, 107 outlet stores and 17 airport stores. During the month of January 2004, the company engaged an independent liquidator to operate 111 stores that are expected to close in the next 15 to 30 days. The company, which regularly supplements its permanent mall stores with seasonal stores during its peak selling season from October through January, operated 229 seasonal stores in 2003.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements made in this release are or can be forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “guidance,” “potential,” “continue,” “project,” “forecast,” “confident,” “prospects,” and similar expressions typically are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business of GSI Commerce and the industries and markets in which GSI Commerce operates. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors which may affect GSI Commerce’s business, financial condition and operating results include the effects of changes in the economy, consumer spending, the financial markets and the industries in which GSI Commerce and its partners operate, changes affecting the Internet and e-commerce, the ability of GSI Commerce to develop and maintain relationships with strategic partners and suppliers, the ability of GSI Commerce to timely and successfully develop, maintain and protect its technology and product and service offerings and execute operationally, the ability of GSI Commerce to attract and retain qualified personnel, the ability of GSI Commerce to successfully integrate its acquisitions of other businesses, if any, and the performance of acquired businesses.
More information about potential factors that could affect GSI Commerce can be found in its most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports and statements filed by GSI Commerce with the Securities and Exchange Commission. GSI Commerce expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as otherwise specifically stated by GSI Commerce.
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