O’Reilly Automotive Teams acquire IRI strategic programs
O’Reilly Automotive Inc. is the latest retailer to acquire the services of Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leading provider of retail market intelligence and solutions.
For newbies in the aftermarket industry, O’Reilly Automotive is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, supplies, equipment, and accessories. As of December of 2006, the company was operating a remarkably huge quantity of 1,640 stores in 23 states.
With the objective to improve on the company’s strategic operations and performance management, O’Reilly Automotive has decided to acquire and adapt some of IRI’s space planning codes. Such programs include the Apollo Designer Workstation and Apollo Professional, which would efficiently optimize demographics, category levels and unique assortments specified for each of O’Reilly’s more than a thousand stores.
In reference to their new programs from IRI, O’Reilly Automotive’s Chief Operating Officer and Co-President Ted Wise has this to reveal: “O’Reilly’s goal is to provide the ultimate customer shopping experience to each and every customer we serve.”
“Our new relationship with IRI is extremely valuable, as it will enable our organization to customize shelf assortment and shelf merchandising plans at the local and store level to better meet the needs of O’Reilly’s customers.”
On the other hand, Thom Blischok, IRI Retail Solutions and Strategic Consulting President, has this to comment on their latest client: “The IRI space planning solutions will empower O’Reilly towards their consumer-centric merchandising objectives on a large scale and recognize sales benefits immediately. Furthermore, according to O’Reilly, their customers have grown to expect superior service, and the Apollo solutions will not only help O’Reilly meet these demands but will take their customers’ shopping experience to the next level.”