Demandware Powers Columbia Sportswear’s New eCommerce Business
Leading outdoor products company launches new ecommerce site with an emphasis on brand and user experience
Woburn, Mass. – September 9, 2009 – Demandware, Inc., the leading on-demand ecommerce solutions provider, today announced that Columbia Sportswear Company™ (NASDAQ: COLM), a global leader in the active outdoor apparel and footwear industries, has launched its first ecommerce site—Columbia.com—using the Demandware® eCommerce Platform. The site is part of Columbia’s expanded direct-to-consumer strategy, which also includes branded stores and outlets in key global markets, and was designed to help build and drive demand for the Columbia brand across all of its sales channels.
“Columbia.com is much more than a sales vehicle; it’s a destination site with a rich user experience that brings consumers closer to the brand – regardless of which channel they use to purchase. To accomplish this, we needed an exceptional ecommerce platform and partner,” said Paul Zaengle, Senior Director of eCommerce, Columbia Sportswear. “The Demandware team worked side by side with Columbia to get the job done and we are thrilled with the results.”
Demandware provides Columbia with a scalable, full-featured ecommerce platform that enables complete control over its brand and user experience, while eliminating the technical burden of the IT infrastructure. Columbia selected Demandware because of its robust merchandising functionality, multi-site capability, international experience and the operational benefits of its on-demand model.
The new Columbia.com offers the broadest selection of innovative, high-performance Columbia products and an easy, dynamic shopping experience. Highlights of the new Columbia site include:
- Shop by activity – winter, water, trail, travel, fishing, hunting and golf categories help consumers zero in on what they need for each of their outdoor passions
- Shop by technology – in-depth detail on the construction of products and technologies, so consumers can understand the science behind the protection
- Expanded shopping features, such as product ratings and reviews, and filters that enable consumers to find products by price, size and color
- Community-building via social media tools, such as the new “Inside Out”company blog
- Engaging stories and video content about Columbia experts, founders and pioneers of the Greater Outdoors
- Larger, enhanced product imagery with zoom-enabled product views, and 360 degree views of some products
“Every day in ecommerce, the lines between commerce, community and content are blurring and brands like Columbia are leading the way. Congratulations to the team at Columbia for an exceptional vision and a world-class site. We look forward to continued collaboration with Columbia as it prepares to launch new brands and expand internationally,” said Stephan Schambach, Founder and Chairman of Demandware.
About Columbia Sportswear
Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia Sportswear Company is a global leader in the design, sourcing, marketing and distribution of active outdoor apparel and footwear. As one of the largest outerwear manufacturers in the world and a leading seller of skiwear in the United States, the company has developed an international reputation for quality, performance, functionality and value. The company manages a portfolio of outdoor brands including Columbia Sportswear, Mountain Hardwear, Sorel, Montrail and Pacific Trail. To learn more about Columbia, please visit the company's website at www.columbia.com.
About Demandware, Inc.
High-growth retailers and consumer brands looking to develop or extend the reach of their B2C ecommerce business trust Demandware as their strategic partner for ongoing success. Demandware solutions, comprised of the only enterprise-class, on-demand ecommerce platform and expert services, deliver merchandising effectiveness, proven site reliability and industry best practices that exceed profitability goals. Only Demandware provides a distinct time-to-market advantage for launching multiple ecommerce sites, customizing the consumer experience from content to code, and maintaining sites at the forefront of ecommerce innovation. Demandware clients include industry leaders such as Bare Escentuals, Barneys New York, Crocs, Jones Apparel Group, House of Fraser, Playmobil and Timberland. For more information about Demandware, visit www.demandware.com, call 888-553-9216 or email info@demandware.com.