Belardi/Ostroy strengthens its co-op database service

In an effort to provide improved insight on promotional history, Belardi/Ostroy is expanding its Co-Op Connection division to provide enhanced reporting and expanded strategic services.

The division works with “a few dozen” clients — among them Williams Sonoma and Coldwater Creek — on planning and managing usage of co-operative databases for prospecting and house file modeling, according to Polly Wong, SVP of the strategic services group at Belardi/Ostroy.

“The co-op database market is facing the same pressure as much of the rest of the industry; however, it's in somewhat of a unique position because of the wealth of information available,” Wong explained.

The added functionality is centered on optimizing co-op database usage. Wong said that catalogers will be able track whether a name was previously rented from a co-op and what promotions each customer has already received. “This should prevent sending unnecessary catalogs,” she said.

Other enhancements include more data on incremental prospect names; the average number of times a co-op name is rented before a prospect buys; better targeting to Web-only buyers; and the overlap of names between the co-ops.

Co-Op Connection was launched five years ago. Since then the ability to store more data has improved the product's capabilities, according to Wong.