BERLIN, June 1 /PRNewswire/ --

The 14th annual RETAILVISION EUROPE in Berlin surprised newcomers and
veterans alike with a positive note amid the general economic gloom for
worldwide retail.

Insight from Keynote Presentations provided market research of some
commercial value to both retailers and vendors in attendance. United Business
Media Ltd., owner of the VisionEvents(TM), elected in this recession to
concentrate on high quality content and that decision proved fruitful.
Keynoters were able to zero in on the current opportunities at retail level.

-- GfK's Dr. Rudi Aunkofer presented an in-depth look at the pressure on
the European market but highlighted his presentation with a list of 30
product categories that are still selling well at retail (despite the
economy). He also predicts the PC industry, after some failed attempts, now
has an opportunity to introduce all-in-one PCs as a successful form factor in
the desktop category.

-- BITKOM's Michael Schidlack, Head of Dept. Consumer Electronics &
Digital Home, at the German industry association, told how "connected TV"
will create the biggest new opportunity at retail after HD TV.

-- PLANET RETAIL's Greg Hodge, Retail Research Manager, profiled the
strategic direction of Media-Saturn, DSGi, KESA, HMV and Carphone Warehouse.
He also revealed Sainsbury's plan for non-foods expansion (by 2010, 60 stores
will have 1/4 of all space dedicated to non-food).

-- EAMES MANAGEMENT GROUP's Don Eames, the ex-Best Buy executive flown in
from USA for this event, shared his inside look at how Best Buy was able to
grow into the world's largest IT/CE retailer. He also gave the audience good
insight into his work for Russia's retail giant, El Dorado, and into his work
in Middle East retail.

In addition to market insight, retailers attend to meet vendors with new
products. While the general economy ensured fewer vendors would join this
year, the product mix from vendors couldn't have been better if it was
hand-picked. Retailers who attended were treated to a mix of products that
included TV phones, all-in-one PCs, videogame accessories including a
Nintendo-like wand with all the extras you wanted Nintendo to include in the
first place, push-up card readers, energy-saving devices, 3D personal
viewers, audio (a consumer version of Elton John's preferred microphone and
more), software, and many CE/IT accessories.

More than 100 retailers and distributors came at the organizer's expense
from more than 34 countries. The widening of the market, job changes,
convergence, and economic conditions added new faces to the audience of this
established event. Almost 30% of attendees were first-time attendees.

During RETAILER QUESTION TIME, a Town Hall-like discussion about retail
trends moderated by industry veteran Bob Snyder of The Distribution Channel
Ltd., retailers aired their opinions. Vobis Benelux's Marc van Steenoven,
Managing Director, put the recession in context by comparing it to more than
a decade of turmoil in the industry. Calling the retailers in the room
"survivors," van Steenoven noted most will survive this temporary downturn
because they have already survived worst blows from the mercurial nature of
the fast-paced IT/CE industries. At the same time, Publicworld's Alexis
Chalkidis, General Manager, urged the audience to innovate despite the
industry downtime: to innovate not as an option but as a necessity to grow
the retail business.

Everyone at RETAILVISION EUROPE enjoyed the Gala Dinner and Entertainment
sponsored by G-Data, an IT security software vendor. The highlight, after a
5-course meal by renowned Michelin starred chef, Frank Rosin, was a stage
show by Berlin's top rock impersonators (from Bette Midler to Elvis Presley.)

RETAILVISION EUROPE drew to conclusion with its annual Award Ceremony.
Winners included:

- Best Product: Accessories -- Samsonite (as represented by
      Anteprima Brands)
    - Best Product: Software -- Serif PhotoPlus X3
    - Best Vendor: Retail Strategy -- Pelikan
    - Best Presentation -- Serif
    - Best Product: Hardware -- Blue Microphones

Next year's dates for RETAILVISION EUROPE are May 17-19. After events in
Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Paris, Rome and Berlin, the pan-European RETAILVISION
will be in London for 2010.

About VISION EVENTS(TM)

VISION EVENTS(TM) is a leading conference provider for high tech in
Europe. Part of UBM, VISION EVENTS(TM) organizes the annual conferences
RETAILVISION EUROPE for the retail channel and IT CHANNELVISION for the
value-added channels.

United Business Media Ltd. is a leading global business media company.
More than 6500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist
teams that serve business communities. Listed on the London Stock Exchange,
UBM is the owner of Everything Channel Inc. (publishers of the world's
largest channel publication CRN and its famous sister publication, VAR
Business).