Scene7 acquires assets of image server TrueSpectra

Dynamic imaging software provider Scene7 Inc. has acquired the assets of TrueSpectra Inc.’s image service business, the Novato, CA-based company announced this week. Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. With the acquisition, Scene7 absorbs its largest technology competitor and positions itself for further expansion into the mid-range market, defined as customers having sites with lower traffic or transaction volume than the largest enterprise-scaled customers it already serves.

Scene7 CEO Doug Mack says the combination broadens Scene7`s offering. While Scene7’s technology has been known for having a broad set of features and the ability to scale to high volumes, TrueSpectra has excelled on the packaging and installation side, making it easy for customers to install the software on their own sites for a quick implementation with minimal technical support required. “Our technology is easy to install, but TrueSpectra set the standard in our industry for installation and implementation,” Mack says, noting the acquisition combines “the robustness of our platform and the strong packaging and installability of their platform.”

Mack estimates that although they had different primary target audiences, Scene7 and TrueSpectra nevertheless had a market overlap of about 33%. With a total of about 110 clients in retail and other industries, the combination makes Scene7 the largest software provider in the technology category Mack defines as e-merchandising. Mack says that’s a young market, with a penetration rate of only about 10% among potential users of the technology.

Mack adds the technology to support e-merchandising represents a new stage in e-retail’s evolution. “Getting the pipes right was stage one, search and analytics was the focus of last year, and soon we’ll be moving toward more of an e-merchandising phase,” he says. “If I’ve got the façade and I understand who is coming into the store and can guide them to the right shelf, then the question becomes, is what I’m showing them getting them excited enough to buy.”