Store Front: Kmart and Sears Tune-Up the Enterprise

Kmart and Sears Tune-Up the Enterprise
In their recent billion dollar merger, Kmart and Sears expect to broaden their retail presence and make procurement, marketing, IT and supply chain management operations more efficient. But the union could require a large amount of IT work, say retail technology analysts. The companies have accumulated a variety of systems. Kmart in 2001 announced that it was buying IBM SurePOS 700 registers running the vendor's POS operating system. Earlier this year, Sears announced plans to install newer SurePOS machines running 360Commerce POS software on Windows XP Embedded operating system. Last month Sears selected several JDA Portfolio Strategic Merchandise Management solutions to manage its large range of merchandise. Additional complications to the merger include alternative bids for Sears by Vornado and others.

Texas Goodwill Wrangles Inventory with Alphameric
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas (GICT), part of the Goodwill Industries International organization, selects Alphameric to develop and integrate an end-to-end POS, inventory management, in-store kiosk and e-commerce solution. The customized solution is designed to increase efficiency and reduce training time at the POS. This solution will manage the receipt, reprocessing, recycling and resale of used goods alongside standard new product sales. Used stock will be individually priced and identified by unique attributes including condition. GICT inventory will be made available for sale through in-store kiosks and on the Internet through an e-commerce storefront and an online auction site.

AE Prices with ProfitLogic
American Eagle Outfitters (AE)
employs ProfitLogic's Store Clustering Optimization application to inform its merchandising processes with a detailed analysis of customer demand. ProfitLogic helped AE strategically group 765 stores into appropriate clusters to better tailor pricing to local market needs. The retailer's executive team identified the need for region-level pricing and a strategic method for grouping its stores to execute pricing more effectively. The solution combines a retailer's own store sales data and the key merchandising decisions that a retailer wants to improve as a basis for clustering.

Ritz Camera Upgrades with Linux-Based POS
Ritz Camera Centers selects Datavantage Xstore as its new POS and store management application. The retailer operates more than 1,100 photo locations and 110 Boater's World Marine Centers. The retailer will implement the solution in both store formats on a Linux operating system and a PostgreSQL open-source database. Ritz Camera selected the solution because its Java architecture flexibility in selecting an operating system and database. Xstore also offers a dynamic, easy-to-use interface that can shorten training time for store associates. "Our existing POS lacks the flexibility and functionality available in an open-source, Java-based platform such as Xstore," says Bob O'Hern, vice president of information systems for Ritz Camera Centers. The retailer plans to use the solution's deal pricing accuracy and labor management tools to improve its store efficiency and enhance its customer service experience.

Industry News
Bruno's Supermarkets and Raley's Family of Fine Stores select BioPay's Paycheck Secure, a biometric system that electronically captures a customers' finger images and records their check transactions, to reduce check fraud and enhance customer service €¦

Circuit City Stores extends its use of LiveWire Logic's RealDialog, a self-service solution that will centralize store technical support and business information, enabling store associates to access information immediately and cost effectively without contacting a call center for support €¦

Mervyn's selects Inovis' Catalogue, acquired as part of Inovis' recent merger with QRS Corporation, to achieve data synchronization and improve accuracy across its trading partner network €¦

D'Agostino Supermarkets launches the D'AG Rewards with S&H greenpoints program, enabling customers to earn loyalty points for each dollar spent on groceries and other items and to see a current balance printed on their receipt €¦

$15 billion Charoen Pokhand Group selects Jesta I.S. Vision Merchandising to power its Lotus Supercenter's future growth, optimize inventory and performance to enable all existing and new super centers to efficiently manage inventory €¦

After successful implementation in 2002 and live operations during 2003, Carrefour Italy has extended Aldata G.O.L.D.'s footprint to cover the same functions for its supermarket format and has initiated the full deployment of the solution throughout 200 of its supermarkets, which will be concluded over the next few months €¦

U.K. electronics retailer, Comet, chooses the MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform to deliver new management information to its purchasing teams and improve buying strategies.