Storrs, CT, February 15, 2002 – The Retail Alliance, Inc. (RA), a not-for-profit organization of independent college and university stores, and NACSCORP, Inc. (NACSCORP), a national wholesale book and technology products distributor, announced today new, state-of-the-art electronic data interface (EDI) capabilities that allow college stores to dramatically improve efficiencies and cut costs.

Colleges stores using RATEX Version 7.6, the comprehensive retail management system owned by RA subsidiary RATEX Business Solutions, Inc. (RBS), can now retrieve electronic sales catalogs, systematically receive advance shipment notices from NACSCORP, streamline product delivery to the sales floor, and automatically reconcile electronic invoices with product receiving records. Previously, EDI capabilities were limited to electronic ordering.

RATEX is the powerful, flexible system used by many of the largest and most successful college and university stores in the country, including Cornell University, the University of Connecticut, and the University of California, San Diego. NACSCORP, the for-profit subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores, markets a broad array of trade and textbooks and over 100,000 technology products including hardware, software, peripherals, and supplies to collegiate retailers.

"We’re very pleased to be partnering with the Retail Alliance as part of our commitment to serving the college store market," stated Pamela Sedmak, President and Chief Operating Officer at NACSCORP. "The implementation of the EDI component of the Primary Sourcing Agreement for textbooks between our organizations offers participating college stores enormous efficiencies in both time and dollar savings on their Back-to-Class ordering procedures."

The textbook sourcing agreement with NACSCORP allows participating RA members the opportunity to realize significantly improved order fill rates and incremental savings on purchases of titles used as course adoptions. RATEX system users derive the additional benefit of integrated process improvements and the associated savings via the enhanced EDI capabilities integrated between NACSCORP and RBS.

"The Retail Alliance is dedicated to working with leading industry suppliers like NACSCORP on practices and programs that result in more efficient business processes and lower costs for member stores," stated Richard W. McDaniel, President and Chairman of the Retail Alliance and Associate Vice President of Campus and Business Services at Cornell University. "This partnership between NACSCORP and the Retail Alliance is a prime example of the fruits of our efforts. RATEX users and NACSCORP customers now have tremendous opportunities for speeding business processes, decreasing costs, and driving revenues."

Retail Alliance, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization of independent college and university stores founded in 2000 with approximately 40 member stores. Based in Storrs, Connecticut, the Alliance works to enhance the ability of college and university stores to compete by sharing best business practices and developing business-to-business opportunities that deliver cost savings and efficiencies.

NACSCORP is a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing higher education retailers. NACSCORP has been a national leader serving the college store market since 1963, offering a full line of books, technology products, and retail services, giving NACSCORP an unparalleled understanding of the unique needs of college retailers. NACSCORP is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, about 35 miles outside of Cleveland. For more information visit www.nacscorp.com.

RATEX Business Solutions, Inc. (RBS) of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, is a leading independent provider of technology and management consulting services to college and university stores. Owned by the Retail Alliance, RBS is dedicated to aligning technology with smart business to help collegiate retailers succeed. In addition to RATEX, the industry’s most comprehensive retail management system, RBS provides an array of business consulting services and training programs to college stores.

For more information about the Retail Alliance-NACSCORP strategic partnership, contact Larry G. Daniels at (800) 417-2839, ext. 4128.