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Alliance WD Reduces Lost Sales Through Integrated Features of Activant Eagle System

Piston Ring Service Uses System’s Activant LaserCat 3 eCatalog and BuyerAssist Tool to Gain Sales Each Day

LIVERMORE, CA, March 5, 2009 – Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance shareholder Piston Ring Service Company is leveraging several innovative features of its Activant Eagle® business management system and Activant LaserCat® 3 electronic catalog to dramatically reduce lost sales caused by incomplete parts data.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada-based distributor reports that it is saving incremental sales each day across its 25 company stores through its use of the Activant Eagle system. By using the system to quickly cross-reference parts application data through the Activant LaserCat 3 catalog, Activant All Lines and Activant BuyerAssist® tools, the company’s counter people can quickly identify and sell parts that are in stock but are not listed in manufacturer-supplied catalog data, according to Trevor Tennant, corporate development manager for Piston Ring.

Tennant noted that what makes this process so powerful is the tight integration of the Activant LaserCat 3 catalog and the Microsoft Windows®-based Activant Eagle system, which enables the user to identify and sell more parts with only a few mouse clicks. “We have counter people across our network who are each saving one sale almost every day using these tools,” he said. “Just a few minutes ago we saved a $400 hard parts sale by using the Activant BuyerAssist feature to quickly analyze the coverage of a competing manufacturer’s part number and then the corresponding, non-cataloged part from our primary manufacturer. Our own supplier didn’t know this part number fit the application, but the Activant tools allowed us to make the sale.”

The most common process for searching for a non-cataloged part is to find a competing supplier’s part number and then “interchange back” to the preferred brand. In cases when the part is not properly listed by the manufacturer, however, the interchange might be incorrect or out of date. Together with Activant All Lines, the Activant BuyerAssist tool provides the Activant LaserCat 3 catalog user with a list of other applications covered by the competitor’s part number. He or she can then look up these applications through the preferred manufacturer and select the right part for the customer’s job.

“If you’re the counterperson in this situation, unless you’re using Activant’s LaserCat 3 catalog, you’ve hit an absolute dead-end,” Tennant said. “But in our scenario, we get the sale and everyone’s happy. This is the type of capability that puts us ahead of the competition in the eyes of the installer.”

“Piston Ring is known for providing their store professionals with the best business management, catalog and point-of-sale tools,” said Tom Aliotti, senior vice president and general manager of the Activant automotive business. “Their ability to increase sales is a result of their commitment to continuous improvement and sharing best practices throughout the entire company, along with their investment in the Activant Eagle solution.”

The Activant Eagle system is a comprehensive business management solution built for the smallest to largest jobbers and distributors. The functionally rich, user-friendly system runs on the latest Windows technology at more than 7,000 locations operated by independent small and medium-sized businesses in many markets.

The Activant BuyerAssist tool is a full-featured, easy-to-use buyer’s guide that provides fast, convenient access to Activant’s comprehensive database of part numbers, applications and interchanges from more than 800 aftermarket manufacturers. The All Lines feature of the Activant LaserCat 3 eCatalog enables counter professionals to access parts information across any cataloged line so they can more effectively cross-reference part numbers or procure products from other sources.

About Activant Solutions

Activant Solutions Inc. is a leading technology provider of business management solutions serving small and medium-sized distributors and specialty retailers. Activant provides customers with industry-specific software, professional services, content, supply chain connectivity, and analytics. Over 30,000 customer locations use Activant to manage their day-to-day operations. Activant’s systems are designed to help customers increase sales, boost productivity, operate more cost-efficiently, improve inventory turns and enhance trading partner relationships. Headquartered in Livermore, California, Activant has operations in Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.activant.com.

This announcement relating to Activant may contain statements that are forward looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, such as statements concerning trends, future technology or products, or Activant’s execution. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties which could materially affect the company’s results, including, without limitation, market demand for products and technology, the company’s ability to meet that market demand, the integration of Activant’s technology and products with technology and products supplied by others, the integration of Activant’s products into the businesses of its customers, customer acceptance of Activant’s products, and the retention and deployment of skilled Activant service providers. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update or publicly revise any of the forward-looking statements. Please refer to our most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 12, 2009 and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2008, both of which can be found through the Activant investor relations website at www.activant.com/company/investors, for a full discussion of the risks and other factors.

Note: Activant, the Activant stylized logo design, Activant Eagle, Eagle, LaserCat and BuyerAssist are registered trademarks of Activant Solutions Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contact:
Drew Shippy
Pinnacle Communication Group
Tel: 330.688.3500
drew@pinnmedia.com