Jones Apparel Group Commences Item-Level RFID Pilot In Select Nine West Retail Locations

Jones Apparel Group, Inc. recently announced that it has initiated a program to evaluate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in select Nine West retail locations. The goal of this pilot program will be to study the benefits that item-level RFID provides in the areas of enhanced productivity, customer service and inventory accuracy.

"We are always looking for new ways to raise the bar and deliver outstanding customer service," said Sergio Prosperino, Senior Vice President, Store Operations at Nine West. "We are intrigued by the prospect of enhanced inventory visibility, and we think this can be of real value to our customers and store associates."

The team of companies with whom Jones is partnering on this initiative consists of:

• Vue Technology, which will provide the RFID software and system management solutions;
• Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Business, which will provide fixed and handheld RFID readers and antennas;
• Avery Dennison, which will provide RFID tags and printers; and
• inCode Wireless, which will provide installation and integration services and, along with RFID Sherpas LLC, will perform operational and business case analysis.

"We are eager to begin this test to explore the benefits that RFID can provide in our retail footwear locations," said Norm Veit, Executive Vice President, MIS at Jones. "RFID has interested us for some time, and we believe it has reached the point where launching a pilot program of this nature makes sense. We are also pleased to be working with our chosen partners on this project, and we look forward to the support and expertise we are confident they will provide."

About Jones Apparel Group
Jones Apparel Group, Inc. is a leading designer, marketer and wholesaler of branded apparel, footwear and accessories. The Company also markets directly to consumers through its chain of specialty retail and value-based stores. The Company's nationally recognized brands include Jones New York, Nine West, Anne Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, Kasper, Bandolino, Easy Spirit, Evan-Picone, l.e.i., Energie, Enzo Angiolini, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Albert Nipon and Le Suit. The Company also markets costume jewelry under the Givenchy brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation, footwear under the Dockers Women brand licensed from Levi Strauss & Co. and apparel under the Rachel Roy brand licensed from Rachel Roy IP Company, LLC. Each brand is differentiated by its own distinctive styling, pricing strategy, distribution channel and target consumer. The Company contracts for the manufacture of its products through a worldwide network of quality manufacturers. The Company has capitalized on its nationally known brand names by entering into various licenses for several of its trademarks, including Jones New York, Evan-Picone, Anne Klein New York, Nine West, Gloria Vanderbilt and l.e.i., with select manufacturers of women's and men's products which the Company does not manufacture. For more than 30 years, the Company has built a reputation for excellence in product quality and value, and in operational execution.

About Avery Dennison Corporation
Avery Dennison is a global leader in pressure-sensitive labeling materials, retail tag, ticketing and branding systems and office products. Based in Pasadena, Calif., Avery Dennison is a FORTUNE 500 Company with 2007 sales of $6.3B. Avery Dennison employs more than 30,000 individuals in 60 countries worldwide, who develop, manufacture and market a wide range of products for both consumer and industrial markets. Products offered by Avery Dennison include: Fasson brand self-adhesive materials; Avery Dennison brand products for the retail and apparel industries; Avery brand office products and graphics imaging media; specialty tapes, peel-and-stick postage stamps, and labels for a wide variety of automotive, industrial and durable goods applications. For more information, visit www.averydennison.com.

About inCode Wireless
inCode is a global professional services organization providing business strategy and wireless technology consulting for leading companies worldwide. The experienced professionals of inCode leverage mobile technology expertise and industry experience to offer complete end-to-end solutions: strategy, business case analysis, hardware and software requirements, system integration, workforce training, and support. inCode offers customized mobile solutions for fleet, field service, field sales, supply chain, RFID, WLAN, and several other enterprise wireless and mobility areas. For more information go to www.incodewireless.com or contact info@incodewireless.com

About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications. The company develops technologies, products and services that make mobile experiences possible. Our portfolio includes communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility solutions, digital set-tops, cable modems, mobile devices and Bluetooth accessories. Motorola is committed to delivering next generation communication solutions to people, businesses and governments. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.6 billion in 2007. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit www.motorola.com.

About RFID Sherpas LLC
RFID Sherpas LLC is a management consulting practice focused exclusively on the retail sector. The company serves a global base of retailers, merchandise vendors, technology providers and industry associations as an advisor on all facets of Retail RFID, including matters of strategy, project design, implementation, and business case analysis. In addition to helping clients utilize RFID practically and profitably in stores and other retail operating environments, the company plays an active role at the association level, fostering education and adoption of item-level RFID within the retail community. For more information visit www.rfidsherpas.com.

About Vue Technology
Vue Technology is the leading provider of item-level RFID solutions, offering breakthrough RFID infrastructure components and a powerful software suite that delivers the most scalable, reliable, and ROI-driven RFID solutions on the market. Vue's TrueVUE RFID Platform provides the industry's only unified RFID infrastructure that allows customers to manage dock doors, portals, mobile devices, smart surfaces and smart shelves to achieve RFID visibility down to the item-level.

With its patented RF Networking devices and UHF enabled VUEPoints, Vue allows standard readers to network across thousands of antennas, exponentially increasing the number of zones that readers can support and dramatically reducing the cost barriers previously associated with item-level RFID roll-outs. Combined with an integrated software suite for device and network management, EPC commissioning, and RFID workflows, the TrueVUE RFID Platform is uniquely able to deliver significant and measurable ROI to its customers. For more information, visit www.vuetechnology.com.

SOURCE: Jones Apparel Group, Inc.