Looking for true multichannel integration?

 

If you are looking for true multichannel integration, it is worth taking a look at the offering from Unipower (see http://www.unipowersolutions.com/). The EPOS and WebStore are just different views of the same software so all transactions are in a common database. The WebStore is just another store with its own branch ID so you can buy on line and return in store and all customer data is held across all channels. If a loyalty card or postcode lookup is used to identify customers in store,  a customer will be able to see all their transactions irrespective of the purchase channel when looking at their account online. It will also be possible for store staff to look up the purchase history on a till or for the customer to view the history on a kiosk.  

For retailers looking for a total solution, Unipower are now offering a Microsoft Dynamics Nav merchandising and accounts integrated system.

The end of the Retail Solutions era

It is a sad sign of the times that Retail Solutions will not take place in the UK next summer. Who knows how long it has been running? I first went as a raw graduate in 1998 and have attended most years since, partly to keep up with developments but mainly to catch up with people in the retail technology business. A similar event will take place in Barcelona next summer but it won’t be the same.

Given that the show has been slowly shrinking over the years and losing its buzz, the decision is not surprising. The move to Excel last year seemed to accelerate the process rather than reverse it.

It is also hardly surprising that Retail Events took the opportunity to publicise the demise of Retail Solutions. Can the Retail Business Show (28th and 29th Jan) fill the gap in the retail calendar? It must surely be placed to pick up some business both in terms of exhibitors and attendees.  It would be nice if this show could deliver some of the buzz that ecommerce EXPO delivered. Let’s hope that Retail Events attended that show and took some notes. I think the strong seminar programme was key.

Or will retailers lead the British public in the move away from face-to-face shopping over to internet shopping? After all shows were where retailers used to shop for systems.

ecommerce EXPO

ecommerce EXPO

ecommerce EXPO took place this week at Olympia and I must say that it had the most buzz of any show I have been to for a long time. It had four seminar theatres as well as a keynote theatre and many presentations had attendees standing at the back. In fact, I had to stand at all but one of the talks I went to.

The attendence levels are not really surprising. While high street retailing is suffering, the web (while suffering too to a certain extent) is holding up. According to the  IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Index reveals UK year-on-year online retail sales increased by 14.8% in September, down from 73.2% growth measured last year – but still growth! Retailers are looking to it as a lifeline to maintain if not actually grow sales across all channels.

The breadth, differentiation and specialisation of suppliers was impressive. When Long Tall Sally revamped their website they chose 5 suppliers – an ecommerce platform, an implementation house, a web consultant, a design house and a web marketing company. You could add to the list a specialist in in-site search, a hosting company, a customer content provider… the list goes on.

I was underwhelmed by the Google University, though I am looking forward to receiving my voucher for adwords, but otherwise you could glean a great deal of industry knowledge from the show.

There and back again

Well, I went on holiday at the end of September. When I went, hopes were high that the US government’s $700bn rescue package would be put in place quickly but when I returned Congress and the Senate were still thrashing it out. Any last hopes of a swift recovery from the various crises quickly evaporated.

After a month of unprecented financial turmoil we have seen the collapse of Iceland and uncertainty for Baugur backed retailers, and MFI, Celebrations and the General Trading Company falling into administration… but the world is still here, though downturn and recession are now the reality. Retailers are proving their optimism and resilience with impressive new shopfits in Westfield London which opened this week.