Sydney  (July 27, 2006)  –  SAS, the leader in business intelligence, announced today that it will provide the OPSM Group with a retail software solution that delivers an integrated Merchandise Planning Platform.

The SAS software will be used by OPSM buyers, merchandise planners and merchandising executives for pre-season planning; in-season and open-to-buy decision-making; and post-season sales analysis.

OPSM is a leader in eyewear with more than 800 retail outlets in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. In addition to its eponymous OPSM range, the company’s brands include Laubman & Prank, Budget Eyewear and Sunglass Hut.

Announcing this new business, Mark Jeffery, general manager of SAS Australia’s Customer Intelligence Practice, said the Merchandise Planning Platform will meet OPSM’s objectives of:

• Better planning of the individual products to be stocked, store-by-store
• Faster identification of and reaction to buying trends, both fashion and seasonal
• Tighter in-store inventory holdings and reduced markdowns
• More meaningful merchandise reporting to drive the bottom line.