21st ANNUAL MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT AWARDS

We've said it before, but it bears repeating: The Annual Multichannel Merchant Awards aren't a beauty contest. That's as true this year as it has been in years past. Customer service, merchandising, usability, and results count at least as much as creative. That's why our judges point out such features as a company's low-price guarantee or the speed with which an e-mail query is answered or the subtle yet effective way in which add-on items are promoted on product pages.

But while the basic judging criteria have remained the same, this year's MCM Awards do differ from previous programs. We realigned the categories, for starters, to better reflect the industry today. Also to better reflect the new realities of multichannel commerce, we introduced the B-to-B Multichannel Merchant of the Year and the B-to-C Multichannel Merchant of the Year awards.

These new awards speak to an old saw: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. By providing shoppers with multiple channel choices, merchants can benefit far more than simple addition would suggest.

The “whole is greater than the sum” sentiment applies not just to the Multichannel Merchant of the Year winners but also to the Gold and Silver winners in both the print and Web categories. And it's also why we continually emphasize that the winners aren't merely, or necessarily, the most attractive catalogs or Websites. The winners are more than pretty, or well merchandised, or user friendly. They are all of that, and more.

Judges 2006

PRINT CHANNEL

GEOFF BATROUNEY, executive vice president, Estee Marketing Group

MONIQUE BERGER, director of print production, The Territory Ahead

JOHN BORTA, partner, Real Results Marketing

SANDRA COOPER, vice president, creative/account services, Marke Communications

MICHAEL EISENBERG, chief marketing officer, McIntyre Direct

JIM HARKINS, principal, JJH Direct Marketing

JIM KLAUS, president, CWDKids

MARY ANN KLEINFELTER, consumer marketing director, Carus Publishing

JOHN LENSER, president, Lenser

BARRY LITWIN, vice president/general manager, Block & Co.

PAM MAXWELL, vice president, marketing, Interline Brands

DOUG MEYER, vice president, direct marketing, Levenger

PHIL NIEMEYER, president, Nasco

DON OAKES, senior vice president, creative, L.L. Bean

JACK ROSENFELD, president, Potpourri Group

JACK SCHMID, founder, J. Schmid & Associates

AL SCHMIDT, president, Schmidt Group International

ED SCHMULTS, CEO, FAO Schwarz

LINDA SPELLMAN, director of multichannel business, The Home Depot

THOMAS TWEEDIE, director, consumer direct marketing and forecasting, Day-Timers

GINA VALENTINO, owner, Hemisphere Marketing

CRAIG WINER, vice president, Garrett Wade

MARIA YOUTH, former vice president, catalog and Internet, Lenox Collections

WEB CHANNEL

AMY AFRICA, chief imagin.8.ion officer, Eight by Eight

WAYNE AIELLO, vice president, e-business services, Corporate Express

STEVE BALDWIN, marketing manager, Did-It Search Marketing

KEVIN CHURCHILL, director of merchandise, Patagonia

LAUREN FREEDMAN, president, The E-tailing Group

TONY GASPARICH, vice president, direct sales, West Marine

JOHN HAMMERSLEY, chief operating officer, Eclipse Direct Marketing

ALAN RIMM-KAUFMAN, founder/president, The Rimm-Kaufman Group

TOM ROSENBAUER, marketing director, The Orvis Co.

PHIL TERRY, CEO, Creative Good

INTERNATIONAL (PRINT CHANNEL)

MARK BRIDGES, vice president/director, international, Mokrynskidirect

KLAUS GOEZ, director of business development, Accenture

MARTIN GROSS-ALBENHAUSEN, publisher, Der Versandhausberater

IAIN MACDONALD, principal, Casa Consulting