Eddie Bauer earned the top spot among all of the men and women's apparel sites that Gomez analysts evaluate and rank based on a comprehensive set of objective criteria.

"We are very pleased to be recognized by Gomez as the number one apparel e-tailer," said Eddie Bauer's Mark Staudinger, divisional vice president for interactive media.

"As we continue to expand our online market, Eddie Bauer is committed to continuing its 80-year old tradition of providing customers with high quality products and excellent customer service while making the e-shopping experience a friendly one."

Results are compiled in Scorecards(TM), which can be viewed at http://www.gomez.com.

Eddie Bauer ranked first with Gomez in the categories of "Ease of Use," "Customer Confidence," "On-Site Resources," and "Overall" as well as the customer profile indices "First-Time Buyer."

They applauded eddiebauer.com for its easy navigation, depth of resources and integrated information.

According to Gomez.com, "Eddie Bauer's newest tools aim to make decision making easier. On select products, for instance, the site lets users view products against either a standard background or on an actual model.

Also, it enables users to view select backpacks* in 3-D, as well as view every angle of and zoom in on the bags.

Other purchase-friendly tools include the ability to view products in any of the available colors and suggested coordinated products on the product page."