PRESS RELEASES

Mercado Announces New Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Features for Online Product Catalogs

Latest version of Mercado helps retailers reach more potential customers and provides high-performance search on large catalogs

Pleasanton, CA, November 6, 2007 - Mercado Software, the leading provider of eCommerce search and merchandising solutions, today announced that online retailers can now take advantage of Mercado's new Search Engine Optimization (SEO) module and service offering, greatly increasing the accuracy of product searches conducted by Web shoppers, and improving overall search rankings for online retailers. By using the Mercado SEO module, online retailers of all sizes can now expose the hidden jewels of their product catalog to major search engines while decreasing dependency on costly SEM programs to drive valuable buyer traffic.

In addition, Mercado has added much more scalability and power with the release of their native 64-bit platform. By doubling the total volume of SKUs supported, Mercado can handle the largest product catalogs while reducing hardware requirements. Mercado's latest release introduces a new technology that streamlines the indexing process so that customers experience quicker search response times while being able to search and browse larger catalogs. The new platform also makes it easier for business owners to manage advanced merchandising strategies across large catalogs by reducing the number of data sets created.

Improving Natural Search through Catalog SEO

The SEO module is compliant with the sitemap protocol used by search engines such as Google and Yahoo, making it easy for search spiders to crawl "hidden" product classifications and descriptions and enabling Web searchers to more easily find the products they are looking for – no matter where the products reside in the retailer's database or how they are described. In addition, Mercado-generated sitemaps expose value-add content such as promotions and special merchandising content to search engines and their spiders.

The SEO sitemap generation capability supports a variety of page types including category pages, product pages, landing pages, and top keyword search pages. In addition to the new SEO module, Mercado provides URL rewriting, meta-data consulting, and dynamic linking services. By using Mercado's SEO capabilities, online retailers no longer have to play the SEO game – that is, trying to figure out which keywords will return the best results, gambling against their competitors for the best terms, and always trying to hit the moving SEM budget target.

"With search engine marketing costs climbing to more than $20 per order on average, many online retailers are depending heavily on natural search to drive more shopping traffic to their sites," said Corey Leibow, President and CEO of Mercado Software. "Through our SEO functionality, online retailers can easily and automatically optimize their sites to obtain greatly improved natural search rankings, thereby reducing their marketing costs while increasing traffic and conversion rates."

Experts concur that retailers have an opportunity to greatly enhance search rankings and improve overall product exposure on the Web by making their product catalogs 'search friendly'. Mercado invites interested parties to listen to a conversation between product search expert Susan Aldrich of the Patricia Seybold Group, and online marketing expert Alan Rimm-Kaufman. Download the Podcast at http://www.mercado.com/synergies/.

About Mercado Software
Mercado Software (www.mercado.com) is the leading eCommerce search & merchandising solution provider for Internet & multi-channel retailers and B2B eCommerce sites. By enabling a superior buying experience and equipping business managers with a powerful platform on which to execute merchandising strategies, online businesses can aggressively grow revenue and foster customer loyalty. Sears Holdings Corp., GUESS?, Inc., Overstock.com, Williams-Sonoma Inc., OfficeMax, Macy's, ShopNBC, Delightful Deliveries, and Organize.com are some of the companies benefiting from Mercado's solutions. For more information about Mercado Software, please call at 925-401-9300.

Media Contact:
Mark Shapiro
858-573-0736
mshapiro@davismarrin.com

###