Zapotec Software, Inc. Revolutionizes Co-Op Advertising With Co-Op Easy® Software

Furniture World Magazine

Zapotec Software, Inc. (Zapotec) introduced its new co-op management software for the retail industry. According to the software producer, the CO-OP EASY® suite of application software is the first complete, co-op promotional funds management solution ever to be offered and is available today. Zapotec's suite of application software enables any size retailer or distributor to effectively manage, track and claim co-op promotional funds offered by manufacturers and thereby increase sales and profitability. Zapotec's product suite includes CO-OP EASY PRO, CO-OP EASY PRO PLUS and CO-OP EASY PROMAX. Developed to accommodate increasing levels of complexity, these products will allow any size retailer, reseller or distributor to maximize all available co-op promotional funds. Co-op can be defined as a marketing strategy designed to promote the manufacturer's brand name products on the local retail level. Co-op is simply a funding source, or allowance, for retailers, provided they meet the requirements of the manufacturers. These allowances are offered in many different forms and amount to tens of thousands of dollars in increased marketing budgets for retailers (see Co-op Promotional Funds attached). "The introduction of CO-OP EASY software represents a whole new generation in co-op promotional funds management," Zapotec's Co-founder and President, Nick Cavarra said. "This product finally gives retailers and resellers a way to manage their co-op funds and maximize the money available which will directly increase their sales and profitability." According to MediaNet of Austin, Texas, 1996 promotional allowances from manufacturers increased by 5.6 percent to more than $33 billion. Of these promotional dollars that were available to retailers and distributors, Media Net conservatively estimate that $15 billion went unused. "There are more than two million retailers and over half a million distributors doing business in the U.S. today," said Cavarra. "Tracking co-op advertising dollars is very complex and simply cannot be managed effectively by manual systems or spreadsheets. By using this product, retailers will be empowered to track and capture tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of additional co-op dollars. Zapotec's application software will change every retailer's co-op advertising function from one of chaos to calm." "CO-OP EASY PRO PLUS has enhanced the time efficiency, collection rate and overall accuracy of our co-op program," GART Sports' Vice President of Marketing, Fran Victor said. "In addition, the co-op history CO-OP EASY PRO PLUS captures, has enabled us to analyze our business and streamline the advertising budgeting process. The software has been a big contributor to the overall efficiency of our co-op program and has produced an outstanding return on investment." "CO-OP EASY PRO is the best thing I've seen come along in 25 years in the business. Every retailer needs this product," said another user of Zapotec's CO-OP EASY PRO product. "We were able to increase our available advertising expenditures by more than 65 percent!" said Will Pelz, advertising manager for Colorado's largest family-owned lumber and hardware chain, Brookharts Ace Lumber. "CO-OP EASY will revolutionize the retail industry. Retailers will finally be able to organize and track their entire advertising program including all vendor information and claim requirements. This product will positively affect any retailer's bottom line - immediately," Pelz said. Zapotec's application products run on Win 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT or Windows for Work Groups. Zapotec's software customers include Camera World, Brookhart's Ace Lumber, GART Sports, CellStar, Ltd., the good guys!, Mike's Camera and Winan's Furniture. Douglas A. Davidson, an entrepreneurial executive serves as Chairman and CEO of Zapotec. Nick Cavarra and Jennifer Bittner, co-founders, serve as President and Vice President. For more information contact dad@rmi.net