Fat Face, retailer of active lifestyle clothing, in partnership with Blueberry New Media and e-commerce payment specialist DataCash have created a high quality, interactive ecommerce web site. Blueberry New Media has successfully combined creative design expertise with Intershop's ecommerce software, DataCash's secure payment solution, Hewlett Packard's Open Pix imaging technology. The end result is a web site that forms a total lifestyle experience and acts as a powerful selling tool. The Fat Face web site can be found at Click Contact Link

Jules Leaver, joint managing director of Fat Face commented: "believe Blueberry has enabled us to create one of the most exciting sites on the web. We are providing our customers with more than an online shop; the site embraces the outdoor lifestyle and reflects 'high octane' living. The Internet is rapidly becoming a part of everyone's lives, and through our web site we're making sure we're at the forefront of this evolving technology. Another great strength of the site is that due to the 'real time' nature of the Internet, unlike traditional mail order, we have complete control over the retail environment."

DataCash, the UK's leading provider of e-commerce payment solutions, was selected to handle the realtime credit and debit card authorisation and settlement. Using DataCash software fully integrated in to Intershop, customers can buy product securely straight from the Fat Face site using their choice of credit or debit cards. Cards are authorised in realtime - to ensure sufficient funds are available and that it has not been reported stolen - and successful transactions settled directly into Fat Face's bank account. DataCash's unique reporting interface allows Fat Face's accounts department to review and reconcile sales, and process refunds. Though not all in use at the moment, DataCash provides Fat Face with an unrivalled range of upgrades including full multi-currency trading and settlement, multiple simultaneous transactions, and integration into call centre CTI and IVR systems.

Gavin Breeze, managing director of DataCash commented: "Security, speed, reliability, scalability, ease of integration, flexibility and price were the determining factors in Blueberry's selection of DataCash as the payment gateway provider. The high volume of transactions flowing through into Fat Face's bank account is testimony to the excellent, creative marriage of technologies provided by Blueberry."

Blueberry New Media used Intershop Communications', Intershop 3 to fulfil the shopping cart functions. From the visitor and vendor perspective buying and selling through Fat Face's web site is simple, secure and functional. The flexibility of the software ensured it fitted the exact design requirements of Blueberry.

John Griffith, managing director of Intershop Communications UK commented: "Our software is ideal for innovative new media agencies like Blueberry. It is flexible enough to allow the designers to be truly creative, yet the underlying structure gives the perfect platform from which to sell products securely over the Internet. It is pleasing to see a young company such as Fat Face see the huge opportunities that online commerce can generate especially now they have an international audience to attract. I look forward to seeing similar retailers follow the same path."

To further enhance the site, Blueberry New Media has taken advantage of Hewlett Packard's recently launched OpenPix ImageIgniter to produce interactive three dimensional images. Blueberry is the first company outside the US to incorporate the Open Pix technology, which allows visitors to interact with images by 'zooming-in' on clothing details, for example buttons and stitching. The inclusion of this software, differentiates Fat Face's web site from any other UK ecommerce site, and helps to convert browsing into sales. In addition the software allows Fat Face to track and analyse how users interact with images.

Commenting on the OpenPix technology Ilana Ron, HP's European InternetBusiness Development Manager, said: "Buying clothes on-line should be one of the best and biggest uses of the Internet. However, one of the major reasons people do not purchase clothes on-line is that they can never be totally sure that what they see on the screen is exactly how the texture of the clothes will really look. OpenPix technology overcomes this issue by enabling the on-line shopper to get a totally realistic view of the texture as well as the product design. We are confident that our technology will contribute to making the Fat Face site one of the very best on-line shopping experiences available today."

The usual ambiguities and perceptions of buying over the Internet are avoided and potential shoppers will feel confident that they know what they are getting for their money. As an online promotion Fat Face invites visitors to register with the Fat Club which allows members to earn Fat Calories - for every 10 spent, one Fat Calorie is earnt which equates to 1 off their next online purchase.

Blueberry New Media and Fat Face have embarked on an unprecedented performance related partnership to achieve maximum effectiveness and value from the web site. Blueberry New Media is partly funding the project in return for commission on a sliding scale from web site sales. The partnership provided Fat Face with a low investment opportunity to exploit the most advanced Internet applications.

Piers Hogarth-Scott, new media director of Blueberry commented: "I'm proud to say, the web site is a glowing example of an SME success story. From selling ski sweatshirts in the ski resorts of the Alps, Fat Face now has 23 stores selling a full range of outdoor clothing. Our partnership has enabled them to enter the online shopping market, extend their brand and compete with larger UK retailers on a level playing field. It is an example of how companies can revolutionise the way they do business and how Blueberry can play a fundamental role in helping them do this."

About Blueberry New Media

The Blueberry Group consisting of Blueberry Design Ltd, Blueberry New Media Ltd and Blueberry Source Ltd, was formed in 1989 by the three partners Russell Sellers, Ben Sellers and William Cawley.

Blueberry New Media are specialists in web site design, eCommerce solutions and database integration. Experts in multimedia marketing, communication and online brand management. Blueberry New Media embrace a philosophy of working in partnership with clients to build intimate interactive relationships to enhance the brand and demonstrate a tangible return on investment.

The Blueberry Group's clients include the Design Council, Cable & Wireless Communications, Fat Face, Kraft Jacob Suchard, Millennium Products, British Excellence, World Telecom Plc, Toyota, Paris Ceramics, Gemstar, Ben & Jerry's, the Sci-Fi Channel, Duracell and Virgin.

For further information on The Blueberry Group visit Click Contact Link or for Blueberry New Media's eCommerce specific information visit Click Contact Link

For further media information on Blueberry, please contact: Elliot Bullman or Jane Archer at Powerhouse PR on Tel: +44 (0)171 371 3333 or email Click Contact Link

For further information on DataCash, please contact Gavin Breeze on +44 171 820 7733 or Click Contact Link or Click Contact Link

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