Jena, Germany, February 1, 2012 – On January 26, 2012, Jena District Court resolved to appoint Bob von Dijk as a new member to the Supervisory Board of Intershop Communications AG. He has been appointed until the next Ordinary Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Intershop Communications AG, which is scheduled to take place on May 30, 2012.
He was appointed by the Jena district court after Supervisory Board member Jim MacIntyre retired from his position as of January 31, 2012.

Bob van Dijk has more than 15 years experience in the technology sector and has been active in the field of e-commerce for 11 years. He began his career as an Associate at McKinsey, an international management consultancy, before assuming the position of Finance and Strategy Manager at eBay Group in July 2004. Prior to his current position as Vice President (VP) of eBay Europe, he was responsible for all eBay Group activities in the Netherlands as Managing Director eBay Netherlands. Furthermore, he played a key role in expanding eBay’s local classifieds and online motor sales platform businesses as VP Local Classifieds and Motors.

Dr. Herbert May, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Intershop Communications AG: “We would like to thank Jim MacIntyre for his contribution, in particular in expanding the strategic partnership between Intershop and GSI Commerce. Bob van Dijk is an experienced manager who will perfectly complement the Board with the expertise he has gathered in the international e-commerce business over many years. Now that we have invested in new products, we want to expand our market orientation, which is where Bob van Dijk can provide us with excellent support.”

Paris, Milan, Sweden, Amsterdam – 19 January 2012 – Intershop Communications, a leading e-commerce software and services provider, will host advisory events in four European cities featuring Forrester Research, Inc. to discuss the latest in agile commerce. 

The sessions will present a rare opportunity for eBusiness and channel strategy professionals to meet a leading industry analyst from Forrester Research. Brian K. Walker is a leading worldwide expert in e-commerce platforms, multichannel commerce, marketing technology and mobile commerce. Brian will provide attendees with insight into the latest e-commerce trends to ignite a debate on the benefits of a holistic and modern online sales approach across multiple consumer touch points.

The events will focus on how retailers are changing the face of online sales through innovation in key areas such as mobile and social commerce. Attendees will benefit from valued speakers and also have the chance to network with other senior e-commerce professionals.

WHO:  Brian K. Walker, Vice President, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research, Geert Berckmans, Intershop Regional Director EMEA

WHAT: Intershop to host complimentary event featuring Forrester Research

DATE AND LOCATION:

• 31 January 2012, Hotel Intercontinental Paris le Grand, France
• 2 February 2012, Hotel Mélia Milano, Italy
• 7 February 2012, Sheraton Hotel Stockholm, Sweden
• 9 February 2012, Hilton Hotel Amsterdam, Netherlands

MORE INFO: http://www.intershop.com/events.html

Netherlands, January 10, 2012 – Robert de Boer, Intershop country manager for the Benelux region, will present a workshop on the 'The Interconnected World of Commerce' at Webwinkel Vakdagen, the largest event in the Benelux region focusing on e-commerce and online business. In the era of mobile commerce and social commerce, this workshop on Thursday 26 January 2012 from 13:15 - 13:45 in Arena D will focus on how e-Commerce is much more complex than just creating and building an online shop. 

Robert will discuss how the need to integrate all business models and to close the ever growing 'interconnected world', is the key to the success of an online business. Furthermore, he will focus on how a successful online presence leads to expansion into new markets and ensuring existing customers are happy while simultaneously creating an increase in sales and sales margins. Lastly, Robert will discuss how all channels such as social networks, market places, price comparison portals, as well as an effective online marketing strategy is essential.

Intershop Communications, a leading e-commerce software and services provider, will also exhibit at booth S41 alongside its partner Heiler Software AG. Visitors to the booth will learn how Intershop can provide businesses a customised e-commerce strategy to support their specific requirements.

WHAT: The Interconnected World of Commerce

WHEN: Thursday, January 26, 2012; 13:15 - 13:45

WHERE: Webwinkel Vakdagen, Arena D

MORE INFO: For more information or to arrange a meeting with Intershop and Heiler Software AG visit http://www.intershop.com/event-details/events/webwinkel-vakdagen-2012.html.

Jena, Germany, January 4, 2011 – Intershop Communications, a leading e-commerce software and services provider, has opened offices across Europe and appointed senior directors and managers to support the Company’s growth.

The appointment of Rob de Boer, Country Manager located in Amsterdam will see expanded presence for Intershop in the Benelux region. De Boer, previously working for Moduslink, brings with him a wealth of knowledge from the area of value chain management.

Robert Kornfeld will now serve as Country Manager located in Sweden to drive growth in the Nordics region. Kornfeld’s recent experience working with CAG eCom, a provider of e-business and web based solutions, as well as his C-level positions at Yallotrade and Etheraction AB ensure he is best suited to support e-commerce customers in this region.

Birame Gueye, Country Manager will support the French, Spanish and Portuguese markets from out of France. With a strong history of supporting international expansion, Gueye will use his experience in successfully penetrating European markets to support Intershop’s vision in these key territories.

Dr. Ludger Vogt, member at the board of management at Intershop said, “Our business has seen tremendous growth in the last few years. As a result, we recognised the need to increase our foothold in the EMEA region. With the appointments of these regional directors and managers as well as office expansion in the Netherlands, Sweden, France, UK and Italy, Intershop will be well placed to support our existing and future customers in these markets.”

Intershop’s growth in the first six months of 2011 saw a net increase of its revenues by 39% and its license revenue growth of 69%. The Company has invested heavily in sales and marketing in recent months, with the aim to strengthen and accelerate its future growth.

Jena, Germany, December 20, 2011 – Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH is using Enfinity Suite for the Mercedes-Benz online store. Until recently, the Mercedes-Benz Collection portfolio and navigation CDs and DVDs were sold mainly by Mercedes-Benz dealers and via brick-and-mortar stores, e.g., at the production facilities. Now, the company is also selling these products via its own online channel. Intershop handled technical implementation and integration into the Daimler AG system environment. In conjunction with the new online store, a fulfillment provider was also incorporated and a product information system hooked up. Intershop subsidiary SoQuero, which specializes in online marketing solutions, will take care of search engine optimization (SEO).
After a three-month implementation phase, the first Mercedes-Benz online store for Germany went live at http://shop.mercedes-benz.de in time for the 64th International Motor Show. Other countries in Western Europe will be connected over the coming year. The integrated product search provides intuitive support in the form of intelligent navigation and filter functions to help users browse the 700-odd items initially available. It is error-tolerant and language-independent, thereby ensuring that data within the online store will also be sorted correctly after international rollout and expansion of the product range.

About Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH
Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG. With some 200 employees at its headquarters in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, the company is responsible for the development, selection, and marketing of genuine accessories and Collection products for Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, AMG, and smart cars. It also offers Collection products and genuine accessories for Mercedes-Benz vans.
The portfolio comprises more than 15,000 products, which are all manufactured exclusively for Mercedes-Benz. For more information about Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH, visit www.mercedes-benz-accessories.com.

Jena, Germany, December 5, 2011 – Intershop Communications, a leading e-commerce software and services provider, has appointed Alistair Robbie as the new director of marketing EMEA. Alistair joins Intershop from hybris software where he was marketing director of northern Europe. In his new role, Alistair will be responsible for supporting the Company’s renewed focus on the EMEA region.

The appointment comes as a result of Intershop’s growth in the first nine months of 2011 that has seen an increase of its net revenues by 33% and its license revenue growth of 69%. The Company has invested heavily in sales and marketing in recent months, with the aim to strengthen and accelerate its future growth.

Alistair’s appointment will bring dedicated lead generation, marketing and PR in Benelux, France, the Nordics and the UK.

In his previous roles, Alistair held senior marketing positions at large enterprise technology companies. Amongst these, he served as international marketing director at Embarcadero and EMEA marketing manager at Borland.

Dr. Ludger Vogt, member of the board of management at Intershop said, “Alistair brings to Intershop a wealth of valuable marketing insight for the EMEA e-commerce market. His appointment is testament to our considerable and sustained investment across EMEA as we execute against our plan to pursue Intershop’s current growth path. It showcases our ongoing success in the region as well as the increased need for a software provider that is fully focused on enabling online sellers to derive sustained benefits from the growth of e-commerce.”

Jena, Germany, November 29, 2011 – E-commerce specialist Intershop is expanding its Italian partner network with the addition of SMC Consulting S.r.l., which will provide a local presence via its offices in Bolzano and Capri. Dr. Ludger Vogt, Management Board member at Intershop Communications AG, said: “The partnership with SMC Consulting S.r.l. gives us instant access to a customer-focused service provider with Enfinity experience and will thus enable us to take advantage of growing demand in the Italian market.” Intershop previously acquired Intergic as a partner for Italy.

E-commerce is rapidly gaining in significance in Italy, where the share of retail sales transacted online is expected to grow from just 3.3% in 2010 to 20% this year, according to the Online Trends 2011 survey conducted by the Nottingham, UK-based Centre for Research. With projected sales of EUR 12.3 billion, Italy is set to become the fourth largest online market in Europe by the end of 2011. E-commerce newcomers can get off the ground fast with support from Intershop and SMC Consulting. Ralf Männlein, president of SMC Consulting: “Inexperienced store managers in particular need an implementation partner with a thorough understanding of the market and a proven software package. Intershop’s scalable solution offers precisely what Italian companies need right now and in future.”

About SMC Consulting

SMC Consulting S.r.l. is a provider of e-commerce and multichannel solutions. In the area of e commerce standard software SMC offers Intershop software Enfinity Suite 6 and all related services. SMC leverages years of experience in Intershop software of a professional developer team servicing some customers in Italy already. Together with selected partners SMC provides its services along the entire e-commerce-process chain, from online marketing to handling of the logistics. As SMC Consulting belongs to der SMC AG, Bamberg, it can also support Italian online retailers to expand their business to the German market and vice versa. More information can be found at: www.smcconsulting.it.

Jena, Leipzig, Germany, November 23, 2011 – Intershop Communications AG has been recognized for its special achievements and innovation in the e-commerce sector with the E-Commerce Milestone 2011 award. The company was responsible for launching the first packaged software for online selling. The prize was presented at the Insight E-Commerce networking conference, which was held on November 22 and 23 in Leipzig under the patronage of Sven Morlok, Saxony’s Minister for Economics, Labor, and Transport. The jury based its decision on Intershop’s pioneering technology, which played a key role in paving the way for e-commerce. Intershop Management Board member Dr. Ludger Vogt: “This award recognizes the role played by Intershop in the development of e-commerce. We will continue to set new standards with our solutions: the eCommerce Alliance and the next generation of Intershop software are set to transform the market.”

Other big-name companies to figure among the 2011 Milestone prize winners were the Hamburg-based Otto Group and DHL, both honored for their outstanding achievements in the German mail-order sector.

This year’s Insight E-Commerce networking conference was the fifth such event. Under the slogan “125 years of mail order – the future is online,” it provided an opportunity for store operators, software developers, mail-order companies, marketing experts, and logistics providers to share their knowledge of innovative e-commerce developments and business models.

Jena, November 9, 2011 - Intershop Communications AG (ISIN: DE000A0EPUH1), supplier of integrated e-commerce solutions, is continuing on its profitable growth path that it started on back in 2008. Today’s published figures for the first nine months of 2011 confirm this trend.

Net revenues increased from EUR 26.7 million in the previous year to EUR 35.6 million in the reporting period. All segments contributed to this growth. Important new projects with existing major customers (platinum accounts) and numerous new customers formed the basis for this positive operational performance.

License revenues came to EUR 3.1 million, corresponding to a steep rise of 69%. Consultancy and training, the largest segment in terms of net revenues, grew by 38% to EUR 20.1 million. Maintenance revenues went up by 6% to EUR 7.5 million and online marketing revenues by 34% to EUR 2.5 million. Other revenues (full service business and transaction platform) also developed positively, soaring by 75% to EUR 2.4 million.

Gross profit for the first nine months of the year increased by 37% to EUR 14.2 million, corresponding to an improved gross margin of 40%. The result from operating activities (EBIT) came to EUR 1.5 million (+35%) and the EBIT margin stayed at the same level as in the previous year at 4.0%. Earnings after tax for the period shot up by 89% to EUR 1.9 million and earnings per share doubled from EUR 0.03 to EUR 0.06. Intershop’s cash flows from operating activities were also positive at EUR 2.5 million.

Expenses in the first nine months increased mainly due to increases in staff and and investements in product development. Research and development (R&D) expenses went up by 65% to EUR 4.1 million. The sales and marketing segment was expanded, particularly with new international sales partnerships, which resulted in a rise in expenses by 57% to EUR 4.5 million. General and administrative expenses rose only slightly by 8% to EUR 4.2 million despite business increasing considerably.

Total assets increased from EUR 36.2 million at the end of 2010 to EUR 40.1 million as of September 30, 2011. At 68%, the equity ratio remained at a high level. Cash rose to EUR 16.9 million compared to EUR 16.4 million on December 31, 2010.

Ludwig Lutter, CFO: “Our speed of growth is on track, our business performance is encouraging and our balance sheet is very strong. The most important tasks in the coming months will be to fully integrate our many new colleagues and to continue to develop the new Intershop platform within the new E-Commerce Alliance.”

In the third quarter, Intershop received the largest order by far in its company history from the new strategic partner, a global technology company. This order is intended to generate revenues in the medium two-digit million EURO range over the next 10 years. This global IT company is joining the eCommerce alliance initiated by Intershop. Other new customers in the reporting period include the TV shopping Channel21, the leading Russian online book retailer Mir Knigi, and the US shoe and clothing manufacturer Red Wing Shoes.

In the light of the strong past third quarter and the progress of the current quarter, the Management Board has raised its revenue forecast for fiscal 2011 from 10% – 20% to 20% – 25%. The EBIT for fiscal 2011 is still expected to come out at a level similar to 2010.

The 9-Month-Report 2011 can be downloaded at http://www.intershop.com/investors-financial-reports.html.

Contact:

Investor Relations
Heide Rausch
Phone: +49-3641-50-1000
Fax: +49-3641-50-1010
ir@intershop.com

Jena, Germany, November 4, 2011 – Intershop has helped Bosch Rexroth to create a uniform identity worldwide for its new online store. Until recently, Bosch Rexroth AG supplied its industrial engineering products to over 80 countries using multiple store systems. As a result, customers encountered different websites and user interfaces depending on which country they were in, which was not conducive to intuitive usability and consistent branding. These problems are now a thing of the past thanks to the new online store, which is standardized worldwide. Its uniform appearance and intuitive functions have improved user-friendliness and made it easier to sell Rexroth products in the international market. For example, online customers can now track invoices or inquiries, a function that was not previously available, particularly in Germany. They can also assemble products that meet their own requirements by selecting from the product range or from application-specific suggestions. The e-store system then checks whether the configured product is available or when it will be ready for shipping.

Intershop Enfinity Suite was chosen to power the new platform because it had already been successfully deployed at parent company Bosch and corresponding systems were thus in place. Christian Gardeike, e-commerce project manager at Bosch Rexroth: “The big advantage for us was the huge reduction in costs for our e-store from using the same hardware as Bosch. Only the individual applications differ. When all the legacy systems are switched off at the end of the project, IT costs will be slashed by a further 40 percent.”

The e-store was tested in Germany and Italy before successfully going live in Germany at the start of June 2011. Rollout is planned for all regional Rexroth sales companies and an assessment will be made regarding system deployment in Asia. More information on the project can be found at the Intershop Media Center.

Jena, Germany, October 20, 2011 – Combining their online expertise in the eCommerce Alliance is the logical consequence of the members’ shared focus on store managers. The aim is to offer e-tailers the best solution for their business.
Thanks to the alliance’s deep market knowledge, store manager requirements can be quickly identified and appropriate solutions developed. Pooling of development capacities between the partners makes this possible. “By bringing together product development resources, the alliance is sharing knowledge in this area and taking it to a new level thanks to our collaborative efforts,” says Intershop Management Board member Henry Göttler. Store managers benefit from accelerated provision of successful business functionalities. This also applies to the options for operating the solution, which range from complete in-house operation of the e-commerce system through hosted operation to a comprehensive Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. Online retailers can also take advantage of a business process outsourcing program to outsource their entire operations. Intershop offers customers who operate e-commerce projects of varying size and complexity the unique option to combine on-premise offerings with SaaS solutions.

Intershop will implement a full commerce solution which will support the extensive Red Wing Shoe store distribution network and multi-channel commerce.   “Having a scalable, highly flexible e-commerce platform where we can easily and quickly launch international web stores is an important part of our growth strategy” added Mr. Topinka. Dr. Ludger Vogt, Management Board member at Intershop Communications AG said “We are pleased to be the selected e-commerce partner for Red Wing Shoe Company. We recognize their immense brand loyalty has been built over a century of excellent personal service.  We are eager to be central to the Customer WOW initiative while preserving that which has made their company and brand great.”

About Red Wing Shoe Company
Based in Red Wing, Minnesota, The Red Wing Shoe Company is a leading manufacturer of premium footwear and garments.  Since 1905, Red Wing Shoe Company has offered a unique blend of quality and performance.  Product lines range from traditional work boots that have been the staple of skilled workers for the past century to footwear for the outdoor enthusiast.  Brands include Red Wing, Heritage Collection, WORX, Vasque, and Irish Setter.
Company URL:  www.RedWingShoes.com

Jena, Germany, October 04, 2011 – Intershop has acquired a further major customer in the form of Channel21, a shopping channel with ambitious plans to establish itself in the top in the German market: “This solution is all about combining the best of TV shopping and online selling. The platform from TheBakery provides the technology we need to realize our concept. With the support of Intershop’s consulting team, we also benefit from decades of industry experience,” says Thomas Cordes, Project Leader Strategic Projects at Channel21.
The sophisticated concept includes optimized procurement, with the transaction platform of Intershop subsidiary TheBakery being used to integrate the product ranges of many new suppliers. The platform enables online sellers to expand their range without additional inventory management and logistics costs. It also routes incoming orders to the individual provider. To raise Channel21’s visibility, the company’s products are also being aggressively marketed online, in addition to the shopping channel. Intershop subsidiary SoQuero takes care of these activities. Online purchases are handled via the Enfinity Suite e-commerce solution, which efficiently maps ambitious multi-channel scenarios requiring 24/7 availability of consistent data across the sales channels right through to the call center. Customers can continue to place their orders by phone or access the teleshopping provider’s new website to check the availability of products in real time and submit an order online. The new platform already went live as scheduled.

About Channel21
Hanover-based Channel21 is Germany’s third largest TV shopping channel. The company markets and sells a full range of products, from electronic and household goods to cosmetic products and fashion items, using its own TV shopping productions and the Internet. Established in 2001, the channel can today be received by some 35 million TV households across Germany via satellite and cable. More than 4 million customers have so far opted for Channel21’s attractive, constantly growing range of products.

Jena, Germany, September 23, 2011 – GSI Commerce and Intershop are teaming with a third major IT partner to establish an e-commerce alliance. Thanks to their complementary expertise, the partners can provide customers with an exceptional portfolio of products and services. Pooling development capacities will give store managers faster access to new functions, backed by professional contacts around the world. Henry Göttler, Intershop board member and architect of the e-commerce alliance: "The aim of the alliance is to deliver the best software solution for store operators. Joining forces gives us advantages of scale without losing flexibility. This form of collaboration enables massive innovation, with each partner contributing its special strengths. We are already seeing some very promising results.”

GSI Commerce benefits from extensive knowledge of the entire e-commerce cycle, focusing on B2C. Its expertise is borne out by the success of stores GSI runs for internationally renowned brands. As an e-commerce pioneer, Intershop is contributing its packaged software and long-time experience with multi-touchpoint sales models. The third partner is the world’s biggest provider of IT technology, offering in-depth technical expertise, knowledge of B2B processes, and an international presence. The e-commerce alliance is open to additional partners with complementary expertise, who will be integrated via a community development approach. This will see a network of providers developing additional applications around the core product.

Jena, Germany, September 20, 2011 – Mail-order bookseller Mir Knigi has turned to Intershop as it aims to achieve further growth in the burgeoning Russian e-commerce market. With four million active customers, the company is Russia’s leading mail-order business. Mir Knigi added Web selling to its catalog and brick-and-mortar operations in 2006. The online store now offers 27,000 items, including books, CDs, DVDs, computer games, and software. To boost its position in the e-commerce market, Mir Knigi has migrated its store to Intershop’s Enfinity Suite 6.4 software (www.miriknigi.ru). Project teams from Russia, Bulgaria, and Germany adapted the platform to Mir Knigi’s requirements in just a few months.

Multi-channel platform supports e-commerce growth

One of the company’s key requirements was the ability to add extra channels for its “world of books” (thus the English translation of “Mir Knigi”). A new store for exclusive books is set to be added shortly and roll-out in the Ukraine is also on the agenda. Mir Knigi sees growth opportunities both within Russia and beyond. Olga Dremova at Mir Knigi: “Intershop’s experience of multi-channel operations was a major point in its favor, given our need for a stable, extensible platform that can easily support new channels and regions.”

 As well as benefiting from Enfinity Suite’s out-of-the-box functionality, Mir Knigi implemented specific marketing campaigns and integrated the Russian search engine Yandex. Multiple payment methods were also incorporated. This is unusual for online stores in Russia, where most goods are paid for in cash on delivery to the home address. However, Mir Knigi is going one step further by offering electronic payment options. The online seller is also responding to changes in consumer behavior by making books, music, and videos available in digital form.

Jena, Germany, September 15, 2011 – Intershop and its partners are giving store managers and marketing decision-makers the benefit of their experience via a series of presentations and guided tours at this year’s dmexco conference. The e-commerce provider is attending the Cologne event together with its subsidiaries SoQuero and TheBakery, plus partners FACT-Finder and Smart Information Systems (Hall 8.1, Booth D-009).

 “10 Practical Tips to Boost Success in Price Search Engines and Product Portals” is the title of a presentation to be delivered by Björn Emeritzy, Head of Product Data Marketing at SoQuero (September 21 from 1.00 to 1.45 p.m., Hall 7, Room 1). The guided tour on conversion rates organized by the German Digital Industry Association (BVDW) will then be visiting the Intershop booth, where Alexander Neuhausen, Senior Presales Engineer at Intershop, will provide insights on securing a competitive edge (September 21 from 2.00 to 3.00 p.m., Hall 8.1, Booth D-009). The presentations will be rounded out by Hartmut Stumpf, Key Account Manager at Intershop, who will reveal how healthcare companies can achieve international growth through online sales (guided tour on September 22 from 1.30 to 2.30 p.m., Hall 8.1, Booth D-009).

 “Because it covers the entire digital value chain, dmexco provides valuable pointers for store managers. For example, they can learn from Intershop and our partners how improved online search functionality in their online shop and the use of interactive product advisors can add value in the online-selling environment,” says Volker John, Intershop’s Area Sales Director for the German-speaking countries. “Our integrated approach actually goes one step further because all digital channels also need to be linked to the point of sale or catalog sale. Today’s customers expect a unique shopping experience at every touch point."

About FACT-Finder

FACT-Finder® is Europe’s leading provider of online product search, navigation, and merchandising technology. The error-tolerant conversion engine is language-independent and used in more than 1,000 Web stores in many countries, including over half of Germany’s top 100 mail order portals. Depending on the offering, providers can increase sales by up to 25% almost immediately after implementing FACT-Finder. www.fact-finder.de

About Smart Information Systems

Smart Information Systems is Europe’s leading provider of guided selling solutions offering needs-based product advice. Many major mail-order companies, including five of the ten largest e-commerce providers in the German-speaking world, already rely on our innovative Smart Assistant technology. Our solutions are based on semantic Web technologies and deployed in multiple categories, such as consumer electronics, appliances, tools, and much more. Online giants, including mail-order companies Otto and Baur, are among our longest-standing customers. The Smart Assistant technology enables businesses to offer their online customers professional buying advice and thus boost their conversion rate among users

Jena, Germany, September 06, 2011 – Intershop has expanded its partnership with Germany’s biggest internet agency for e-commerce, Stuttgart-based dmc digital media center GmbH. The new alliance includes innovative licensing models, with low license costs and revenue-based remuneration reducing up-front investment for customers and thus providing greater financial flexibility. The first joint customer to benefit from this model is the Gaydoul Group in Switzerland. dmc and Intershop have developed a multi-client-enabled platform, www.fogal.com, for the group’s FOGAL brand, which is renowned for its elegant hosiery and fine knitwear. The solution allows multiple brands to be quickly rolled out on the same foundation. Other Gaydoul Group companies will gradually be hooked up to the system. With regional fulfillment partner arvato services handling all logistics services, FOGAL does not have to deal with product shipping, billing, payment reminders, or product returns. Smooth project implementation by dmc and Intershop is based on Enfinity Suite 6. The Enfinity Suite 6 multi-channel solution enables store managers to centrally manage their product range, marketing campaigns, price changes, and service offerings for all communication channels. E-tailers across a whole range of sectors thus benefit from a flexible solution that adapts to the requirements of their specific business and application model.

Implementation partner dmc was ranked top German e-commerce service provider in 2011.  Established in 1995, dmc digital media center GmbH currently employs 225 people and posted sales of EUR 21 million in 2010. dmc thus represents a strong partner for Intershop, which itself has extensive e-commerce experience due to its status as an industry pioneer. The aim of the Intershop partner network is to provide customers with local, personal contact in the various German regions and offer a comprehensive range of services. So far, the two partners have developed a multi-channel solution for teleshopping provider HSE 24 and websites for customers, such as Swiss telephone company Sunrise and food discounter Plus.  

About dmc digital media center GmbH 

dmc is Germany’s largest owner-managed Internet agency and specializes in successful online business models. True to its “Better E-Commerce” claim, dmc has been developing pioneering, creative solutions since 1995 and helping to shape the digital economy. The company was awarded top spot in a 2011 ranking of German e-commerce service providers.

Consulting, design, technology, and marketing: As an e-commerce solution partner with a holistic approach, dmc offers its customers a comprehensive range of services, from strategy, planning, and design to consistent implementation across all digital channels plus marketing and customer loyalty.

With its 360-degree strategy, dmc connects e-commerce, mobile commerce, social commerce, and brick-and-mortar activities, thus delivering measurable, sustained success for its customers. Targeted activities aimed at extending reach based on the company’s own technologies create clear competitive advantages and provide the basis for faster market penetration.

dmc digital media center GmbH employs 225 people at its Stuttgart and Berlin locations. In 2010, the company posted sales of EUR 21 million. Its customers include neckermann.de, Klingel, Galeria Kaufhof, JAKO-O, Versandhaus Walz, Charles Vögele, fogal, Deutsche Telekom Training, Thomas Cook, Sunrise, and Kodak.

For more information about dmc digital media center GmbH, visit www.dmc.de.

Established in Berlin in 2005, UNIMALL specializes in online sales to schoolchildren, students, and teachers and is the market leader for educational customers. The product categories include IT basics (hardware and software), lifestyle, teens, finance, sport, mobile devices, music and audio, and graphics and multimedia.

To increase its reach and profile, UNIMALL uses price search engines, product comparison sites, and shopping communities, which are becoming increasingly popular among online shoppers.

SoQuero’s Feed Engine is an efficient solution that enables online sellers to generate, deliver, and centrally track product data for more than 250 channels in Europe across a wide range of platforms and efficiently manage it in accordance with self-defined, KPI-based rules at the portal, category, and product level.

The SoQuero Feed Engine currently processes more than 400 million product data records a day for product data marketing customers and generates over 10,000 export data feeds for various portals.

 Sven Eßbach, head of operations at UNIMALL: “Alongside the Feed Engine, the service, advice, and highly flexible support available from the SoQuero team have all been instrumental in the success of our online store. After hooking up our new store in Austria, we will be using the tool and services for 13 more stores that are due to go online later this year. We are delighted to have SoQuero as a reliable partner for our international expansion.”

About UNIMALL:

UNIMALL (www.unimall.de) offers discounted quality products to schoolchildren, students, trainees, and teachers across Europe. Established in 2005, the online store has experienced continuous growth to become the market leader for educational customers. The group acquired allmaxx in the spring of 2011, thereby adding Germany’s biggest discount website for students to its portfolio.

UNIMALL’s broad offering of quality products and services spans categories that include hardware and software, lifestyle, teens, homeware, fashion, entertainment, culture, finance, sports and recreation, mobile devices, music and audio, and graphics and multimedia. With its comprehensive range, UNIMALL resembles a department store with discounted prices and focuses on individual customers in the school, university, and adult education sector, as well as schools, other institutions, and clubs.

• 57 percent of online sellers expect increased revenues over the summer months
• Intershop’s full-service clients report record profits
• Intershop customers upbeat about sales for the year overall 

Jena, Germany, August 30, 2011 – Good news for online sellers: according to a recent online survey by Skrill (www.skrill.de), more than half of Germany’s e-tailers expect increased sales this summer compared to 2010, rather than the traditional mid-year slump. Intershop’s full-service clients have gone one better, with every customer whose online store is operated fully by Intershop boosting revenues. Substantial increases of up to 100 percent per month remain the trend—Intershop’s biggest full-service client again achieved record sales in June, exceeding even last year’s Christmas figure.  

 “Overall, we are already very close to last year’s total sales and are therefore looking forward to significant double-digit growth rates by the end of the year,” says Ronni Swialkowski, store manager at Intershop. The e-commerce provider’s full-service customers include Mexx, Roadsign, Rösch, Miele, and Betzold, who outsource all or key aspects of their online retailing activities, including logistics, returns, and payment handling, to Intershop.

Jena, August 10, 2011 – Today, Intershop Communications AG (ISIN: DE000A0EPUH1), supplier of integrated e-commerce solutions, announced its financial performance for the first six months of 2011.

The Company increased its net revenues by 39% to EUR 23.0 million; all segments contributed to revenues growth. This positive development is due to the expansion of business with existing major customers (platinum accounts) as well as the acquisition of further projects.

License revenues increased to EUR 1.8 million, corresponding to a rise of 43%. Revenues from consultancy and training, the largest segment with a share of 56% in total net revenues, jumped by 53% to EUR 12.9 million. Maintenance revenues increased by 7% to EUR 5.1 million, whereas online marketing revenues grew by 37% to EUR 1.6 million year-on-year in the first half of 2011. Other revenues (full service and transaction platform) also rose by 68% to EUR 1.6 million.

Gross profit for the first six months of the year came out at EUR 8.8 million, corresponding to a gross margin of 38%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to EUR 1.4 million while the result from operating activities (EBIT) amounted to EUR 766 thousand representing an EBIT margin of 3.3%. Intershop generated total earnings after tax of EUR 1,112 thousand, a 182% rise compared to the previous year’s figure of EUR 395 thousand. Earnings per share, therefore, came to EUR 0.04 (diluted and undiluted) compared to EUR 0.01 in the previous year’s period.

Research and development (R&D) expenses went up by 35% to EUR 2,318 thousand. This rise was primarily due to the expansion of this sector’s workforce as well as the increased involvement of third parties.

The Company heavily invested in the sales and marketing, where expenses amounted to EUR 3,076 thousand compared to EUR 1,897 thousand in the previous year period resulting from additional marketing activities and higher investments in the sales partner network. By increasing its investments in these areas, the Company aims to strengthen and accelerate its future growth.

General administrative expenses remained almost constant at EUR 2,723 thousand despite the large increase in business activities.

Total assets went up from EUR 36.2 million at the end of 2010 to EUR 39.3 million as of June 30, 2011. The equity ratio remained high at 66% (68% at the end of 2010). Cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 16.3 million, which is almost unchanged to the reporting date on December 31, 2010.

Ludwig Lutter, CFO: “At the end of the first half of 2011, Intershop’s net assets and financial position remains solid. In retrospect, both revenues and profit growth show that the Management Board has made the right decisions in a difficult and volatile market environment. Our considerable and sustained investments in research and development as well as our workforce shows that we are executing on our plan to continue to pursue our current growth path.”

Intershop closed important new contracts in the first half of 2011. The Company renewed a framework agreement with Otto Group, one of its largest customers for many years, with a term of three years and a sales volume in the mid seven-digit Euro range. In addition, Intershop received another service contract from its strategic partner GSI with through the end of 2011, which will also generate revenues in the mid seven-digit euro range if all services will be executed. The contract with the leading global supplier of assembly and fastening materials, Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, was expanded considerably and Deutschen Bahn AG’s online travel agency “start.de” became a new customer of SoQuero GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intershop Communications AG.

Ludwig Lutter, CFO: “Regarding the outlook for fiscal 2011, the Executive Board confirms its forecast for revenue growth between 10% and 20% and an operating result in the same range as in 2010.”

The 6-Month-Report 2011 can be downloaded at http://www.intershop.com/investors-financial-reports.html.

Contact:

Investor Relations
Stephan Leschke
Phone: +49-3641-50-1371
Fax: +49-3641-50-1309
ir@intershop.com

Jena, Germany, August 9, 2011 – Baur Versand has added a Facebook store to its sales channels. The social commerce initiative was implemented by Intershop Communications AG and dotSource GmbH. Selected product ranges and promotions (e.g., a vacation special) are now being directly targeted at new customer groups in the social network. With nearly 30,000 fans, Baur is among the top 15 fan pages in the retail sector. “The decision to launch a Facebook store was based on the need to take our offerings where our customers are,” says Christian Martin, head of online marketing at Baur.  

Social commerce tightly linked with Baur online store

The Facebook store is based on the SCOOBOX (Social Commerce Out Of The Box) upgrade from dotSource for Intershop Enfinity Suite 6, which enables a fully functional store to be directly integrated into Facebook. Users remain on the platform throughout the entire purchase, only the checkout process takes place on baur.de. The Facebook store is completely integrated into the Baur online store powered by Intershop Enfinity Suite, allowing store managers to conveniently manage the new channel via the Intershop platform. For example, the summer special on Facebook can be quickly followed by a back-to-school promotion. Dr. Ludger Vogt, Intershop Management Board member responsible for sales: “The sheer variety of potential sales channels and touch points means that store managers need to stay proactive and in control at all times. Integrated, transparent processes are thus also crucial in social commerce.”

Product animations are likewise easy to deploy. Because the visual shopping feature of SCOOBOX is used instead of Flash, store managers can maintain digital product displays based on Ajax without any programming effort. Christian Otto Grötsch, dotSource CEO: “The outstanding functionality of the ready-to-roll SCOOBOX 2.0 social commerce module enables Baur to build an active social shopping community on Facebook. Integration of Baur’s Facebook store into a Facebook app via SCOOBOX powered by Intershop Enfinity allows users to directly access product data from the Baur online store—thus avoiding the need to create an item twice. And with dotSource also handling hosting, Baur is free to focus on its core competencies as a fashion, footwear, and furniture retailer.”

About dotSource

dotSource GmbH is an owner-managed Internet agency specializing in sophisticated e-commerce solutions for German and international customers. The dotSource team combines expertise from the fields of Web store design and development, hosting, design, and usability, Web 2.0, online marketing, and community support. With its live shopping portal Preisbock.de, new project MANSBOX.de, and industry blogs Handelskraft.de and socialcommerce.de, dotSource is actively shaping the debate about trends and new business models in e-commerce. dotSource GmbH is a certified Intershop Technology and Implementation Partner, Magento and Oxid partner, and a member of the Jena-based e-commerce association TowerByte eG. In addition to Baur Versand, dotSource’s customers include mail-order retailer Otto, wedding portal HochzeitsPlaza.de, DailyDeal GmbH, a partner enabling customers to discover urban lifestyle experiences on the Web, and Computop, a provider of electronic payment services.

Jena, Germany, August 4, 2011 – Essen-based energy group RWE is enabling smart energy control for the home with its RWE SmartHome products. To market the products, the company is significantly expanding its online sales activities via a new online store powered by Intershop Enfinity Suite 6. The www.rwe-smarthome.de portal offers products that allow efficient, easy-to-use control of electrical appliances and heating systems via a smart phone or PC. RWE is thus providing homeowners and tenants with a new, convenient way of taking charge of their energy efficiency and saving money. The online product range is specifically tailored to helping private households cut their energy bills.

Certified end-to-end solution from Intershop and getit

The online store contains an information area giving details of RWE SmartHome’s everyday functions and convenience benefits. Both shop and information area were designed and implemented by getit. The Intershop partner integrated the Enfinity Suite into RWE’s existing IT systems, implemented the store solution, and carried out search engine optimization of the text content. Before the platform went live, the SmartHome components were tested by inspection company TÜV NORD. Homeowners and tenants can relax in the knowledge that their home automation system is safe as well as smart, with TÜV having awarded the security functions of the home automation solution and the RWE SmartHome online store Trusted Product Security and Trusted Site Security status. Further projects between RWE and Intershop are planned in the field of smart home services.

Merck has been one of Intershop’s Platinum Accounts for over two years. This expansion is proof of the excellent working relationship between the partners and also of the strategic importance of the “Merck Chemical Portal”. The business customer online platform has been successfully operating since 2007 and is based on Intershop software.

Jena, Germany, July 14, 2011 – Already thinking about Christmas in the middle of summer? For Online Shop Managers, that’s a must, given the importance of the end-of-year holiday period for sales. They must be able to handle sharp rises in visitor numbers and orders while ensuring that all processes run smoothly. This includes consistently updating product data across all channels, integrating backend systems, offering multiple payment methods, and integrating suppliers and logistics partners. Delivering a product even one day late in the run-up to Christmas is simply not an option for e-tailers, who must also cater to the demands of customers post-December 25th by offering convenient return options for unwanted gifts.

Investment in content management and integration
Online retailers are aware of the importance of integrated, flexible processes according to a SimProgno study conducted jointly in June 2011 by Intershop Communications AG, the Institute of Applied Informatics e.V., and the University of Jena. Almost 40 percent of the e-commerce managers questioned intend to invest in Web content management tools, while 25 percent plan to invest in product data management tools. Current deployment levels are just over 20 percent for each of these categories. 40 percent of the Online Shop Managers surveyed already offer multiple payment options on their e-commerce platform to boost their chances of making a sale, with a further 23.6 percent planning to invest in this area. Just under a third intend to integrate additional backend systems.

Store software needed for easy-to-manage processes
While Online Shop Managers find it hard to assess the ROI of many e-commerce activities, they are much more certain about the cost-to-benefit ratio of investing in core processes. Rising customer expectations and advances in technology often lead to process changes and an increasing array of applications, all of which must be carefully aligned. Ronni Swialkowski, Online Shop Manager at Intershop: “Inefficiencies quickly impact a company’s bottom line, which is why it’s so important for Online Shop Managers to deploy a solution like Enfinity Suite, with its flexible process mapping and ease of integration for enhancements.”

Jena, Germany, July 7, 2011 – Uncertainty around the cost-to-benefit ratio of e-commerce activities indicates an urgent need for decision-making support. That is particularly true with regard to recent trends like mobile commerce, according to the just-completed SimProgno study conducted jointly by Intershop Communications AG, the Institute of Applied Informatics e.V., and the University of Jena. The SimProgno research project, which receives funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is examining problems currently affecting e-commerce.

Improving online marketing and content management functions

Although more than three quarters of decision makers are satisfied with the functionality of their online store solution, almost 30 percent are either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their (online) marketing functions. In addition, 35 percent are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their content management systems. Search engine optimization (SEO) and e-mail marketing are by far the most popular marketing tools, with mobile marketing and augmented reality functions (used by less than 10 percent and 2 percent respectively) firmly at the niche end of the spectrum. There is a clear correlation here with the fact that these areas feature the highest levels of ROI uncertainty (see graphic).

Social commerce more popular than mobile commerce – so far

When it comes to social commerce, Online Shop Managers are more committed: over 50 percent intend to make customer reviews and product ratings a bigger part of their online store, and more than a third are boosting their engagement with social networks. “Online Shop Managers can leverage robust practical experience of the market in this area. But even with more recent developments, such as mobile commerce, it is possible to increase decision-making certainty,” says Dr. Arnd Döhler of Intershop. Free Web analysis software has dominated the market so far, being used by 86 percent of the companies surveyed. Less than 10 percent deploy specialist software to support their forecasting and decision-making processes.

Forecasting ROI in e-commerce and online marketing:

Dr. Döhler: “The results show that many Online Shop Manager would benefit from simulation solutions to help predict the impact of their decisions on KPIs. With mobile commerce, for example, the development costs of a mobile solution can be compared with anticipated traffic and sales.” Accordingly, the SimProgno research team is now exploring potential scenarios arising from the findings of the study where support is needed and developing corresponding solutions for simulation forecasting. 

When participants were asked about their satisfaction with specialist providers, Intershop’s Enfinity Suite architecture performed very well. The packaged software was singled out for its internationalization capability and high level of security.