PRVD Provide Commerce (MM)

Enterprise Service Bus Helps Business Bloom at Proflowers Provide Commerce Keeps the Supply Chain Fresh With an Integrated, Standards- based Transaction Platform Built on Sonic ESB(TM), the Leading Enterprise Service Bus CHICAGO, Retail Systems 2004, Booth 317, May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Provide Commerce , an e-commerce marketplace of websites for perishable goods, has selected and deployed Sonic ESB(TM), Sonic Software's enterprise service bus (ESB). Provide Commerce operates the popular Proflowers consumer floral business, the largest domestic direct-from-the-grower Internet flower provider, and also offers fresh fruit and premium meat direct from the supplier to customers through its Cherry Moon Farms and Uptown Prime brands. Provide Commerce deployed Sonic ESB to develop a highly flexible, scalable transaction system to link its e-commerce and supply chain operations. While flowers and other perishable items can spend up to 12 days in the traditional supply chain, Provide Commerce's goods are delivered fresh from the supplier to customers in 2-3 days. Sonic ESB integrates the Provide Commerce storefront, supplier and inventory systems, managing the complex, distributed processes to ensure timely delivery of products. "Our products are perishable and our delivery is time-sensitive. We are constantly looking at the supply chain to see what key steps can be modified so that products are delivered as efficiently as possible to our customers' destination," said Bharat Gogia, vice president of Information Systems for Provide Commerce. "Sonic ESB helps us manage the order process," continued Gogia. "With our supply chain we deliver our flowers within 2-3 days of being cut which allows us to offer a 7-day freshness guarantee on all of our flowers. Our e-commerce platform using Sonic ESB makes this possible-it facilitates the integration of disparate components of the supply chain efficiently and cost-effectively." Provide Commerce recently reported record shipments for the Mother's Day shopping period, defined as shipments from the beginning of May through the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend. During this period, shipments for the Company's core consumer floral business were up 45 percent - delivering more than 550,000, compared to approximately 380,000 shipments in the Mother's Day period a year ago (http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=147716&p=IROL-news). About Provide Commerce, Inc. Provide Commerce operates an e-commerce marketplace of websites for perishable goods that consistently delivers fresh, high-quality products direct from the supplier to the customer at competitive prices. The company's platform combines an online storefront, proprietary supply chain management technology, established supplier relationships and an integrated logistical relationship with FedEx Corporation to create a market platform that bypasses traditional supply chains of wholesalers, distributors and retailers. Provide Commerce launched its marketplace in 1998 to sell and deliver fresh cut flowers for everyday and special occasions such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, and anniversary events, through its Proflowers brand and website, http://www.proflowers.com/. Provide Commerce also offers fresh fruit and premium meat direct from the supplier to its customers at Cherry Moon Farms, http://www.cherrymoonfarms.com/, and Uptown Prime, http://www.uptownprime.com/. For more information, please visit http://www.providecommerce.com/. About Sonic Software Corporation Sonic Software, the inventor and leading provider of the enterprise service bus (ESB), enables over 700 customers to integrate their distributed enterprise with a standards-based, service-oriented architecture (SOA). The patented innovations of Sonic products deliver enterprise integration and messaging with superior flexibility, high scalability and continuous availability. Sonic Software is an independent operating company of Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:PRGS), a US$300+ million global software industry leader. Headquartered in Bedford, Mass., Sonic Software can be reached on the Web at http://www.sonicsoftware.com/, or by phone at +1-781-999-7000 or 1-866-GET-SONIC. Sonic ESB and Sonic Software (and design) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sonic Software Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks or service marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Contacts: Trip Kucera Sonic Software 781-999-7142 John Moran Schwartz Communications, Inc. 781-684-0770 DATASOURCE: Progress Software Corporation CONTACT: Trip Kucera of Sonic Software, +1-781-999-7142, ; or John Moran of Schwartz Communications, Inc., +1-781-684-0770,

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