Crabtree and Evelyn has selected Mercent Commerce System to promote and sell its products to over 42 million active customer accounts at Amazon.com. Crabtree & Evelyn sells in more than 40 countries with more than 350 stores worldwide, offering health and beauty gifts.

According to ‘The State of Retailing Online 7.0’, Forrester Research estimates that online retail sales in the Health and Beauty category will increase a dramatic 61% in 2004. Citing Crabtree and Evelyn’s desire to expand in the rapidly growing health and beauty market, the company chose Mercent Commerce System to help successfully further its expansion strategies. Tom Angelo, director of business development for Crabtree and Evelyn, in commenting on the difficulties faced by selling health and beauty via online channels said, “The Health and Beauty industry relies on the senses to promote the sale of an item. On the Internet, you cannot enjoy the emollience and scent of a health and beauty product. Therefore, to successfully market a product via e-commerce, one must rely on personal testimony, packaging design and brand recognition.

“We selected Mercent Commerce System,” continued Angelo, “as part of our strategy to expand into new online sales channels, because Mercent helps Crabtree & Evelyn more effectively promote and sell our products to Amazon.com shoppers, and reduces our ongoing merchandising costs.”