vrSoftware Partner With Retail Design and Brand Agencies to Deliver a Sustainable Brand Experience

BOROUGHBRIDGE, England, February 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

vrSoftware the market leading provider of "Visual Retailing" software solutions for the fashion retail industry, announce they have responded to market changes and are partnering with retail design and brand agencies to help them meet the evolving needs of fashion retail brands.

In the current challenging and highly multi-channel retail landscape, brands and retailers recognise that their 'bricks and mortar' retail outlets need to deliver an unrivalled brand experience.  

During the planning phase, the whole retail team from buying, marketing and store operations need to participate in the retail design process to create the best experience for the customer and achieve the maximum sales per square foot. Existing tools and methods have proven to be limited in serving the needs of all departments. However, with new interfaces to CAD systems, vrMockshop provides the perfect virtual model for the whole team to evaluate, re-model and execute.

vrSoftware is most widely known for vrMockshop, a true 3D interactive modelling solution which merchandisers and planning  teams use for store modelling, space analysis and shop floor communications. Today, the company has over 5,000 users in 30countries and can count some of the leading global brands amongst its customer base, including Tommy Hilfiger, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Nike, Adidas, Reebok and many more.

vrSoftware has been working in partnership with Wests Design Consultants, a multi-disciplined design agency that have clients such as Asics and Chelsea FC as part of their portfolio. Jason West, Managing Director commented: "How to best engage with the shopper is changing dramatically. The multi-channel world means that delivering a properly joined up and consistent brand experience should involve a cross-functional team - and that team includes the marketing department, buyers, merchandisers as well as the technical teams within the property function."

He added: "With vrMockshop, clients and retail designers can get instant feedback on stock densities and optimum display configurations. This is something that would normally not be possible in the initial phases of a design project."

Colin Liversedge, Managing Director of vrSoftware commented, "Our aim is quite simple, to partner with retail design and brand agencies to help them respond to current retail trends and compete more effectively in today's evolving retail environment.  Through partnering with vrSoftware, agencies will be able to deliver the real 'retail detail' which is what brands and retailers really want to see, so that they can make informed commercial decisions.

Colin continued, "The vrMockshop solution interfaces with CAD and 3D rendering tools enabling retail design companies to deliver a visual presentation which not only has the creative 'gloss', but also has a level of retail detail which takes retail design projects to a whole new level. This is exactly the type of information retail clients, visual merchandising, marketing, buying and store operations teams want to see. For example, vrMockshop can deliver instant answers to stock and space optimisation questions, which is something that existing retail design tools cannot deliver."

"Today, clients approach us and our partners directly for such solutions, but it makes sense that it is also incorporated into the overall retail design process. A perfect example is our experience with Levi Strauss when the Levi's team really needed to test the commercial viability of the ideas which were presented by their retail design agency. Levi's resolved the problem by purchasing vrMockshop," Colin added.

vrSoftware is now looking to actively engage with retail design and brand agencies to help facilitate its new approach. For the retail designer or brand agency, vrMockshop can provide a strong 'value add' and unique competitive positioning in the market.

Notes to Editor:

• vrMockshop is software solution which allows clients to build a 3D store model which is fully merchandised, interactive, using the correct fixtures and PoS materials.
  
• vrMockshop reduces operating costs, drives sales and improves efficiency. vrSoftware has been an essential and trusted tool for 15 years and has over 5,000 users in 30+ countries.
  
• Customers include major global brands such as Nike, Calvin Klein, Reebok, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, Levi's and many more.
  
• The software is already being used in over 250 educational establishments, ensuring that the visual merchandisers of tomorrow are competent users of vrMockshop.
  
• West Design Consultants is a multi-disciplined design agency, offering innovative and commercial design input for a wide range of businesses. With experience ranging from major brands like P&O Ferries and Asics, to smaller local companies.
  
• For more information, pictures or to set up an interview with vrSoftware please contact: Lisa Berwin Communications, lisa@lisaberwin.co.uk, +44(0)207-631-1168, +44(0)7734531447.