Proclivity Systems, which predicts trends with its e-commerce "predictive engine," is looking like a trendsetter itself. The New York startup has moved into Fifth Avenue office space, and upscale retailer Barneys New York is a reference customer. Founder and CEO Sheldon Gilbert recently took a break from selling software to be photographed for <em>Men's Vogue</em>.

John Foley, Editor, InformationWeek

April 30, 2008

1 Min Read

Proclivity Systems, which predicts trends with its e-commerce "predictive engine," is looking like a trendsetter itself. The New York startup has moved into Fifth Avenue office space, and upscale retailer Barneys New York is a reference customer. Founder and CEO Sheldon Gilbert recently took a break from selling software to be photographed for Men's Vogue.Don't get me wrong -- Proclivity Systems is a serious software company. Founded in 2006, the company introduced its flagship Proclivity Mail system eight months ago. The platform analyzes Web site activity for automated e-mail marketing campaigns. Barneys New York says Proclivity produced "dramatic results," doubling the open and click-through rates of its e-mail marketing campaigns and resulting in conversion rates 30 times higher than before.

The company and its 32-year-old founder have received attention from an unusual variety of media. Men's Vogue, a style magazine, profiled Gilbert in December. In March, the New York Times'Media & Advertising section identified Proclivity as providing the back-end analysis system in a one-to-one marketing application created for Alaska Airlines. In April, Reuters did a piece on Proclivity and Barneys. In May, it was Fast Company's turn.

I met Sheldon Gilbert a few weeks ago when he came by InformationWeek's office to talk about Proclivity's predictive engine. You can see the interview below.

About the Author(s)

John Foley

Editor, InformationWeek

John Foley is director, strategic communications, for Oracle Corp. and a former editor of InformationWeek Government.

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