Store Front: Metro Unveils IBM Virtual Touchscreen

Metro Unveils IBM Virtual Touchscreen
The METRO Group Future Store employs IBM's Everywhere Display, a research prototype that can turn any surface in a retail store into a virtual, interactive touchscreen computer. Using a combination of projectors, mirrors and sophisticated software, the Everywhere Display projects images containing store data onto any surface in the store and then reacts to customer responses. Shoppers touch the projected surface to find information, as if they are interacting with a touchscreen computer. Everywhere can project onto any surface and can be used for digital merchandising to show advertisements or other promotions.

Wipro Launches India's First RFID Enabled Store
Wipro Technologies launches its RFID enabled concept store at its Electronic City campus. The store demonstrates how item level RFID tagging enables automatic check-out, intelligent shrinkage avoidance, smart stock maintenance and tracing and tracking of apparel. The concept store showcases RFID being used across different business processes in retail and has been launched to help customers understand the working of RFID in a real world invironment.

Pep Boys Upgrades with IBM and 360Commerce
Pep Boys partners with IBM to develop and install integrated, customized IBM POS and in-store eServer xSeries servers and inventory applications from 360Commerce. The new technology will help to enhance customer service and ease the introduction of new retail and service applications in Pep Boys' 595 stores and service centers. The technology will take advantage of the open-source Linux operating system in the stores and is designed to strengthen the flexibility and reliability of Pep Boys' store operations and will enable Pep Boys to continue deploying new applications to the store.

Walmart Expands EPC and RFID Goals
In briefings with its top 300 suppliers, Wal-Mart unveiled expansion plans for its electronic product code (EPC) initiative. Wal-Mart's top 100 suppliers €” plus 37 volunteers €” are already working toward meeting a January 2005 milestone to go live in North Texas. "Over the next 16 months, we also plan to significantly increase the number of Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Club locations where customers can benefit from this revolutionary technology,"says Linda Dillman, executive vice president and CIO for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The retailer's next steps include bringing EPC to six distribution centers and 250 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club locations by June, 2005. By October, 2005, EPC will be running in up to 13 distribution centers and 600 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club locations. In January, 2006 the next 200 suppliers will begin tagging cases and pallets.

Industry News
Cumberland Farms selects NCR to implement a complete store-automation solution (including NCR RealPOS 80c POS terminals and NCR RealScan 92 bar-code scanners) for its 650 company-operated stores €¦ Donna Karan implements NSB's Connected Retailer Merchandising and Store solution to help maintain accurate, transaction-based information in a real-time environment €¦ Best Buy orders 6,000 PeopleAlert silent paging systems with JTECH Communications' Glowster vibration and flash pagers for 619 stores, outfitting the retail chain with silent customer paging for its in-store computer and technical services €¦ After a successful pilot, Brooks Brothers rolls out ADS Retail's Nextor all Java enterprise managed POS system to its 168 stores €” realized benefits include automated store promotions and intervention €¦ Kroger selects Global eXchange Services as a preferred provider of collaborative transaction services for its EDI community €” providing more accurate order tracking with better inventory management €¦ Roomfull Express Furniture implements the GERS Analytics solution to better react to market conditions and take advantage of emerging sales opportunities and increase revenues €¦ Cotswold Outdoor, the UK's outdoor Retailer of the Year, chooses Island Pacific's IP Synaro solution to further enhance the service offered to its customers by its multi-channel retail business.