diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcGameDao.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcGameDao.java
index cb2b26b5c..f5632f41f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcGameDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcGameDao.java
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ public class JdbcGameDao extends JdbcDaoSupport implements ItemWriter {
 		this.getJdbcTemplate().update(INSERT_GAME, args);
 	}
 
-	public void close() throws Exception {
+	public void clear() throws Exception {
+	}
+
+	public void flush() throws Exception {
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java
index c1a5593a1..6eca45e8c 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/dao/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java
@@ -31,4 +31,10 @@ public class JdbcPlayerSummaryDao extends JdbcDaoSupport implements ItemWriter {
 	public void close() throws Exception {
 	}
 
+	public void clear() throws Exception {
+	}
+
+	public void flush() throws Exception {
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditIncreaseWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditIncreaseWriter.java
index 5316da281..f8f575bdc 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditIncreaseWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditIncreaseWriter.java
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
 import java.math.BigDecimal;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.CustomerCreditDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.CustomerCredit;
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.CustomerCredit;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public class CustomerCreditIncreaseWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class CustomerCreditIncreaseWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
 
 	public static final BigDecimal FIXED_AMOUNT = new BigDecimal(1000);
 	
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditUpdateWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditUpdateWriter.java
index 24fec5d03..109b4c8da 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditUpdateWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerCreditUpdateWriter.java
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
 
 package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.CustomerCreditDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.CustomerCredit;
 
 
 
-public class CustomerCreditUpdateWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class CustomerCreditUpdateWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
     private double creditFilter = 800;
     private CustomerCreditDao dao;
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerUpdateWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerUpdateWriter.java
index fe5c1edb1..e97cbe83f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerUpdateWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/CustomerUpdateWriter.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.JdbcCustomerDebitWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.CustomerDebit;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Trade;
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Trade;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public class CustomerUpdateWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class CustomerUpdateWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
     private JdbcCustomerDebitWriter dao;
 
     public void write(Object data) {
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/DummyItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/DummyItemWriter.java
index e3e381c42..3fb6bf6ad 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/DummyItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/DummyItemWriter.java
@@ -30,4 +30,10 @@ public class DummyItemWriter implements ItemWriter {
 	public void close() throws Exception {
 	}
 
+	public void clear() throws Exception {
+	}
+
+	public void flush() throws Exception {
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PersonWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PersonWriter.java
index e98ad5cb1..b5517344c 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PersonWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PersonWriter.java
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Person;
 
 
 
-public class PersonWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class PersonWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
     private static Log log = LogFactory.getLog(PersonWriter.class);
  
     public void write(Object data) {
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PlayerItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PlayerItemWriter.java
index 71b9e50c1..721eaa52a 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PlayerItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/PlayerItemWriter.java
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.PlayerDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Player;
 
-public class PlayerItemWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class PlayerItemWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
 
 	PlayerDao playerDao;
 	
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/RetrySampleItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/RetrySampleItemWriter.java
index 11e1421ad..4fe3d78d0 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/RetrySampleItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/RetrySampleItemWriter.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 
 /**
  * Simulates temporary output trouble - requires to
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public class RetrySampleItemWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class RetrySampleItemWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
 
 	private int counter = 0;
 	
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/StagingItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/StagingItemWriter.java
index 7d89feb6f..54fae324f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/StagingItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/StagingItemWriter.java
@@ -76,4 +76,10 @@ public class StagingItemWriter extends JdbcDaoSupport implements
 	public void close() throws Exception {
 	}
 
+	public void clear() throws Exception {
+	}
+
+	public void flush() throws Exception {
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/TradeWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/TradeWriter.java
index 2ed389d9a..de8883f66 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/TradeWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/item/writer/TradeWriter.java
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.item.writer;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.TradeDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Trade;
 
 
 
-public class TradeWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public class TradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
     private static Log log = LogFactory.getLog(TradeWriter.class);
     private TradeDao dao;
     
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java
index 083694c77..cae12ae66 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/tasklet/SimpleTradeWriter.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.tasklet;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.tasklet.Tasklet;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContextProvider;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.writer.AbstractItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.dao.TradeDao;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.Trade;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @author Lucas Ward
  * @author Dave Syer
  */
-public class SimpleTradeWriter implements ItemWriter, ExecutionContextProvider {
+public class SimpleTradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter implements ExecutionContextProvider {
 
 	/*
 	 * writes a Trade object to output