Software gift a boon for ECU’s merchandising program

GREENVILLE, NC  —   A gift from a major textiles and apparel marketing firm will enable students from East Carolina University’s Interior Design and Merchandising to use state-of-the-art merchandising software.

The department has received 30 licenses from ISIS.net/Koppermann for its Tex-Store software, valued at $385,000, which will enable students to learn how to plan and integrate the visual presentation and merchandising of retail store environments.

The software, used by many leading retailers and clothing designers, supports the efforts of product managers, store planners, merchandisers, and store analysts to achieve increased sales and improve inventory management and turnover.

“We are delighted that students in visual merchandising classes will have the opportunity to become comfortable with this technology used by many big retailers today,” said Marina Alexander, ECU merchandising faculty member. “It will be a major advantage for students to know this technology when they enter the job market.”

Alexander and ECU colleague Katherine Carroll worked with ISIS.net/Koppermann President Michael DeMatteis to facilitate the software donation. The merchandising program will contract with ISIS.net/Koppermann for training and technical support.