SAS(R) Merchandise Allocation Supports Aeropostale's Continued Growth

October 28, 2009 1:00 PM EDT

Leading Clothing Retailer Also Selects SAS(R) Size Optimization

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With SAS(R) Merchandise Allocation software as a core component of its business analytics approach, Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO), a mall-based specialty retailer of casual and active apparel for young women and men, has continued to experience strong, sustained sales growth, despite a weakened economy. The software from SAS, the leader in business analytics, provides Aeropostale's management team with greater visibility into customer demand at its more than 900 Aeropostale stores. This allows Aeropostale to continue to meet growing demand by delivering the right merchandise to the right store at the right time.

Year to date, Aeropostale's same-store sales have increased 12 percent compared to a same-store sales increase of 10 percent in the same period last year. Such eye-popping sales numbers, rare in retail lately, crown 11 consecutive years of positive, same-store sales growth at Aeropostale.

"SAS Merchandise Allocation improved the allocation accuracy of our initial floor sets by ensuring that our customers are able to purchase the styles they want when they want them" said Barbara Pindar, Senior Vice President of Planning and Allocation at Aeropostale.

Today's announcement came at The Premier Business Leadership Series event in Las Vegas, a business conference presented by SAS that brings together more than 600 attendees from the public and private sectors to share ideas on critical business issues.

SAS(R) Merchandise Allocation

SAS Merchandise Allocation provides retailers the ability to fulfill demand by facilitating distribution of the right merchandise to the right stores and channels. Allocations created through this solution are based on fashion and seasonal trends; customer demand; and store, channel and location attributes. Using SAS Merchandise Allocation, retailers can optimize allocations for each product at the store-size level, increase productivity through automation, and reduce distribution costs.

SAS(R) Size Optimization

To further enhance the accuracy of vendor order and product distribution, Aeropostale recently made a second major business analytics purchase: SAS(R) Size Optimization, which includes SAS(R) Size Profiling and SAS(R) Pack Optimization.

"SAS Size Optimization will be used to enhance the accuracy of our vendor orders and further improve store product allocation accuracy at the SKU level." said Pindar.

SAS Size Optimization is built on two primary software applications: SAS Size Profiling and SAS Pack Optimization. SAS Size Profiling automatically generates store-specific size profiles from multiple product perspectives including department, class, style and color to ensure the highest precision of relative size demand for each product.. SAS Pack Optimization indicates the best supply decisions by determining the ideal order quantities of each available shipping case, including combinations of multi-sized and single-sized configurations to best meet individual store's size needs across multiple deliveries.

About Aeropostale

Aeropostale, Inc. is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14- to 17-year-old young women and men through its Aeropostale(R) stores and 7- to 12-year-old kids through its P.S. from Aeropostale(TM) stores. The Company provides customers with a focused selection of high-quality, active-oriented, fashion and fashion basic merchandise at compelling values. Aeropostale(R) maintains control over its proprietary brands by designing, sourcing, marketing and selling all of its own merchandise. Aeropostale(R) products can only be purchased in its Aeropostale stores and online at www.aeropostale.com. P.S. from Aeropostale(TM) products can be purchased in P.S. from Aeropostale(TM) stores and online at www.ps4u.com. The Company currently operates 891 Aeropostale stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico, 39 Aeropostale stores in Canada and nine P.S. from Aeropostale stores in three states.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions delivered within an integrated framework, SAS helps customers at more than 45,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW(R).

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. (R) indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

Copyright (C) 2009 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

    Source: SAS

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