Technology Provides Customers With Guided Online Shopping Experience

JAMESTOWN, NY--(Marketwire - July 28, 2010) -  Bush Industries, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of reliable and affordable furnishing solutions for work and home, has deployed a unique online content delivery application for the new Christopher Lowell Office Collections designed exclusively for Office Depot® (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services. The application is designed to provide a more interactive and valuable shopping experience on Bush Furniture's core reseller websites. It also offers customers more relevant and timely information about Bush's furnishing solutions. 

When Bush Industries partnered with Christopher Lowell and Office Depot earlier this year to design, manufacture and distribute three new modular office furniture collections, Bush recommended an online video format that not only introduced Christopher Lowell -- the Emmy Award-winning designer, author and television personality -- but provided customers with insight into the inspiration and influences behind the collections' features and benefits, all of which are presented by Lowell himself.

"The furniture category suffers from a lot of generic selections offered in confusing and monotone formats. So, we developed a new approach that delivers a differentiated experience and is incorporated directly into our reseller's website," said Patrick Theimer, EVP of marketing and e-commerce at Bush Industries. "We want to be able to provide more than a simple list of product attributes and fixed images. Through a combination of creative videos and layouts, Christopher Lowell is assisting the sale in an extremely valuable way. This results in more informed buying decisions and increased customer sales and satisfaction."

In May, the three new collections by Christopher Lowell and Bush Industries were introduced at Office Depot. As a preferred vendor for the Christopher Lowell brand, Bush Industries worked with the popular designer to produce three new modular collections -- Lattix, Integr8, and Geometrix. Videos, images and detailed descriptions of all three collections can be found at www.officedepot.com/christopherlowell.

"While other retail categories like electronics have been marketed using these types of applications, it is a fairly new concept for the furniture industry and one in which we see a great deal of opportunity," added Theimer. "We're seeing a lot of interest in this approach from our retail partners and it's been extremely popular with customers visiting the Christopher Lowell section of officedepot.com." 

Bush's marketing partner, Illuminati Studios, created the technology application, produced the videos and packaged them so that Office Depot could incorporate the videos easily and seamlessly onto their site. In the future, Bush plans to integrate other services, including space planning and social media. 

Bush, with Illuminati Studios, also has developed and is introducing its Furniture Finder, an online tool for retailer web sites designed to help customers quickly find the right furnishings for their home or office. It allows customers to search for Bush office furniture products online by room type, function, style and finish or color. 

The New Modular Christopher Lowell Collections at Office Depot
The three new Christopher Lowell lines manufactured by Bush and available exclusively at Office Depot are modular office collections that are ideal for small and home-based businesses where function and space are critical considerations, and consumers will be drawn to the stylish, versatile collections and attractive price points. Each of the three modular collections offers a variety of features and storage options within pieces that are easy to configure.

The collections include:

• Lattix -- The Lattix collection is luxurious and tailored for any business professional, featuring classic looks that will work in a home or business for many years. The products have a first-class international look at mass market prices. Overall, the Lattix collection is beautiful in its simplicity and durable in its finish. 

• Integr8 -- The collection is designed to seamlessly integrate into any small business or office bringing a hip and fresh energy to the space and a minimalist attitude. Simple, elegant, and global, each piece gives the look and function of expensive European modern furniture, but at prices that won't break the bank.

• Geometrix -- This collection is a hybrid between the hip, fresh Integr8 collection and the transitional, organic global influence of Lattix. Each piece is timeless and will remain in style for decades to come. From work surfaces that can instantly be added to bookcases as extensions, to optional pallets for privacy and built-in charging stations for mobile devices, Geometrix offers multiple configuration possibilities for the home or the office.

About Bush Industries, Inc.
Bush Industries, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of case goods and ready-to-assemble furniture designed for office and home applications. The company operates two North American divisions -- BBF (Bush Business Furniture) and Bush Furniture -- along with its Rohr division in Germany and its China operations. With a 50-year legacy built on quality, safety, reliability and durability, Bush Industries is the trusted leader in designing furnishing solutions that meet work and home needs. The company is headquartered in Jamestown, N.Y., with manufacturing and distribution facilities located in western New York, Pennsylvania, China and Germany. For more information, visit www.bushfurniture.com.

About Office Depot
Every day, Office Depot is Taking Care of Business for millions of customers around the globe. For the local corner store as well as Fortune 500 companies, Office Depot provides products and services to its customers through 1,587 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs and a $4.2 billion e-commerce operation. Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $12.1 billion, and employs about 41,000 associates around the world. The Company provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company, and currently sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 52 countries.

Office Depot's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index. General press information can be found at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com. Media looking to access digital assets and news, please visit http://socialpress.officedepot.com. For more information about Office Depot's overall environmental initiatives, visit www.officedepot.com/environment.

About Christopher Lowell

As an Emmy Award-winning host and best-selling author, Christopher Lowell's mix of practical advice and infectious enthusiasm has made him one of America's most recognized and trusted authorities in the home improvement category. Dubbed the Doctor of Design by U.S News & World Report, Christopher believes that decorating is a form of empowerment therapy and that his mantra, "You Can Do It" is a way of life. The success of his ever growing multi-media company proves that Christopher has made a loyal connection to how America wants to live now and in the future.

Christopher now heads Christopher Lowell Enterprises, the parent company to Christopher Lowell Productions and Christopher Lowell, Inc., the design, licensing and marketing arm of the consumer product division. His partners include many of America's most respected retailers and manufacturers including Office Depot. Christopher has helped the mass consumer take the guesswork out of home décor by providing concrete solutions. Visit Christopher online at www.christopherlowell.com and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/clowell.