AVERY DENNISON’S PATHFINDER® TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES THE MARKDOWN PROCESS FOR DESIGUAL

Published 17th December 2008

Avery Dennison’s new Pathfinder® Ultra® Platinum™ allows garments to be remarked faster and more efficiently

Madrid, December 2008 – Avery Dennison, the world leader in labeling and identification solutions, is pleased to announce that it has collaborated with Desigual, the innovative international fashion company founded in Spain, to improve in-store management and remarking of more than 6 million garments.

Desigual’s revenues have increased ten-fold in the past five years. It currently has 3,500 multi-brand stores, 100 Desigual-exclusive stores, and 250 corners within existing stores. Due to the volume of garments that move by collection and the Company’s strong international expansion, Desigual needed a truly easy and efficient remarking and markdown process.

After evaluating various solutions, Desigual decided on Avery Dennison’s new Pathfinder® Ultra® Platinum™ for the in-store management and remarking of more than 6 million garments they sold in 2008. Today, Desigual uses more than 300 Pathfinder® devices with customised software that the Company developed with support and training from Avery Dennison.

The Pathfinder® Ultra® Platinum™ is the only device in the market that includes a data terminal, scanner and portable printer, all running as a single application on Microsoft Windows® CE. It is lightweight and has a user-friendly ergonomic design, which is especially revolutionary for point-of-sale professionals because its technical functions are easy to use.

The Avery Dennison Pathfinder® makes it possible to identify a product and then reprint and apply a new label with an adjusted price in one easy operation. This makes it a useful, versatile, reliable, and fast tool for remarking before sales and promotions. Thanks to the Pathfinder’s® ease of use and time saving, re-labeling can be done directly at the store shelves.

The Pathfinder® is very simple to use. It incorporates a wireless system making it easy to connect the labeler to the counter using the store’s Wi-Fi system. As the sales clerk re-labels garments, the price changes take place automatically. Desigual highlighted that when using the Pathfinder® there is no need to close the store to start markdowns or work overtime to update data, which significantly increases efficiency. This is due to the fact that, information is constantly updated and can be accessed in real time both in the store and from the central office.

Toni Sánchez Navajas, Information Director at Desigual, comments:
“It combines the tools we needed into a single device: a handheld terminal, portable printer, scanner, and PDA. It’s really convenient and easy to use.”

One of the main benefits that Desigual enjoys by using the Pathfinder® is the speed and consistency it provides when changing prices on discounted products. With the Pathfinder®, these changes can be made much more easily, allowing the Company to respond swiftly and therefore be more competitive. For example, during a sale, Desigual can apply new discounts to garments that are not selling well or draw attention to certain products.

David Kervyn, Retail Director at Desigual, commented:

“Using Pathfinder allows us to streamline the entire labeling process, and save time when time is especially valuable.”

The Pathfinder® is also used for remarking garments made in other countries, which are labeled at their origin and must be re-priced for sale in a country with a different currency than the original.

Jordi Baeta, Sales Manager of Avery Dennison PSD in Spain, comments:

“It’s truly a pleasure to work with Desigual. The partnership goes beyond a customer-supplier relationship and has made it possible to find a comprehensive solution not only in the product, but also in the necessary integration and support.”

Avery Dennison also provides Desigual with custom labels for the Pathfinder that meet the fashion company’s creativity and design needs, further strengthening its original brand image.