New Web-Based Category Management Intelligence System 17/08/00 ACNielsen US has announced plans for a Web-based information intelligence system that will make the practice of category management significantly easier and more accessible for both manufacturers and retailers. The ACNielsen Answers for Category Business Planning system uses a "one number" approach that enables consumer packaged goods manufacturers and their retail partners to manage categories based on a single definition of each category, i.e. the retailer's. According to Steve Schmidt, President, ACNielsen US, "Retailers want manufacturers to look at their categories the same way that they do. By accessing ACNielsen Answers for Category Business Planning, manufacturers, instead of expending time, money and effort generating category plans that are not in a retailers' language, can now operate in a collaborative environment. This is a significant breakthrough." Accessed through the ACNielsen Answers Web portal, a manufacturer will be able to pull up information for its categories defined by a specific retailer - both in terms of the category itself and the retailer's trading areas. Clients will be able to personalise their own Web pages within the system, organising information based on answers to their category management questions. When they log on, clients will see answers to key questions pertaining to their category's performance written as "news" headlines. From each headline, more detailed information can be accessed by clicking on the pages' hyperlinks. ACNielsen Answers for Category Business Planning was designed with the feedback and guidance of ACNielsen's retailer and manufacturer client advisory boards. The system is currently in market testing and is expected to be introduced during 2001.