Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation (NRF), and Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced a research partnership that will bring Forrester’s retail research and expertise in technology to Shop.org members in several capacities. As part of the relationship, Forrester will create the 2002 Online Retail Forecast for Shop.org’s fifth annual The State of Retailing Online report, which is done in conjunction with The Boston Consulting Group. Forrester will also provide content for Shop.org events like the upcoming workshop “Best Practices in Online Marketing,” taking place from May 8 to 9 in New York City.

“We are very excited about Forrester’s contribution to our member research and events,” said Shop.org Executive Director Scott Silverman. “Forrester’s industry-leading multichannel retail research, combined with the operating and financial benchmarks provided in The State of Retailing Online 5.0, will provide retailers with unparalleled insight into key Internet and multichannel retail business metrics and trends.”

“Forrester is honored to be working with Shop.org to deliver our research and analysis to its members,” said Forrester Retail Research Director Kate Delhagen. “To develop an effective multichannel strategy in a rapidly expanding and highly competitive market, retailers need a complete picture of how the market is evolving. With publications like The State of Retailing Online as well as other programs that provide opportunities for retail executives to exchange information, insights, and lessons learned, no other organization better addresses the issues that Internet and multichannel retailers face than Shop.org.”

Shop.org is currently inviting retailers to participate in The State of Retailing Online 5.0 survey. The results will be published in a report released in June 2002. Please visit www.shop.org for more details.

Shop.org is the online retail group of the National Retail Federation. It’s where the best retail minds come together to gain the insight, knowledge, and intelligence to make smarter, more informed decisions in the evolving world of the Internet and multichannel retailing. Founded in 1996, Shop.org became a division of the National Retail Federation in January 2001. The association’s membership includes interactive executives from store-based retailers, catalog-based retailers, Web-based retailers, and retail solution providers.