Industry News - October 24th, 2008
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RETAIL AND TECHNOLOGY NEWS |
American Eagle Introduces New Brand and E-Commerce Web Site
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American Eagle Outfitters launches its new e-commerce Web site based on
its new brand for kids, 77kids by american eagle. The debut assortment,
including denim, fleece, t-shirts, dresses, outerwear, footwear and
accessories, is available for purchase online at www.77kids.com.
All 77kids clothing offers 77wash and 77soft guarantees to maintain
size, shape and quality and to be extremely soft and comfortable
through dozens of washes. Shipping and returns are free.
"We encourage kids and parents to put our guarantees to the test, wear,
wash, repeat," says Chris Fiore, senior vice president, 77kids by
american eagle. "We've combined the styles and comfort that kids want
with the function and durability that moms want."
77kids.com features:
- 7 'Gotta Have' Outfits: Video footage of real kid models features head-to-toe looks and the ability to purchase by item or entire outfits.
- Size Wizard: Customers fill out a simple form
with height and weight measurements, including step-by-step
instructions on how to measure, and 77kids will recommend tops, bottoms
and outerwear in the appropriate sizes. A printable footwear chart
ensures the right shoe size.
- Gifting: The 77kids online wrap center offers
an innovative gifting experience, including options for paper, bows,
cards and tissue. Additionally, the 77kids gift box transforms into an
origami-like paper doll in the shape of a bird, which kids 'dress' with
printable clothing found at 77kids.com/bird.
- Gift Cards: Customers can send in customizable e-card form, or have delivered by mail under the wing of the whimsical 77kids bird.
- Free Stickers: Each 77kids order comes with a sheet of 77kids stickers. Exclusive designs change with each season.
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Petco Adds Performance and Talent Management Suite |
Petco selects the SuccessFactors Performance and Talent Management
suite to optimize the performance of its 22,000 associates nationwide.
SuccessFactors helps Petco engage associates, recognize high performers
and drive a pay-for-performance culture.
Petco sought an integrated solution that would help engage, develop and
reward top performers. The company also wanted to unify disparate
systems to make informed decisions around compensation and succession
planning for key positions.
By implementing SuccessFactors Performance and Talent Management suite,
Petco can better manage performance, goal setting, compensation and
succession planning. Performance and goal management provide real-time,
actionable insight to drive alignment of purpose across the
organization. Compensation management helps ensure employees are
recognized for their accomplishments using consistent guideline rules
and workflows, while providing management visibility into potential
trouble spots and helping to ensure that salary increases, bonuses and
other rewards are allocated based on performance. With SuccessFactors
succession planning solutions, Petco will more effectively and
proactively train and groom employees for future positions in the
organization.
"We know that engaged, high-performing associates make for engaged,
loyal customers, so we're pleased to launch this relationship with
SuccessFactors," says Charlie Piscitello, senior vice president and
chief people officer, Petco. "We believe the SuccessFactors solution
will provide greater visibility into the key metrics we use to drive
performance across our business. We'll also be able to better spot
high-performing associates sooner and nurture those who have the talent
and potential to be future leaders at our company."
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Hobby Lobby Deploys 3,800 POS Terminals |
Hobby Lobby deploys 3,800 XR650 terminals from Datasym. Hobby Lobby
sought a technologically advanced POS system that would improve
customer service, but remain user-friendly to store level staff. The
XR650 was chosen because of its flexible PC System and durable cash
register. It also operates on less power.
"Since the installation of the XR650, loss prevention and daily
reporting for store operations have improved," says Jeanne Cotter, vice
president and CIO. "It's clear transaction display and receipt help
provide a better customer experience."
Hobby Lobby's IT Group and Datasym Professional Service Team worked
together to ensure a suitable solution was provided. "As with any major
project, the roll out was not without its bumps along the way," says
Cotter." Datasym staff responded quickly and professionally to any
requests or issues that we encountered."
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American Apparel Pilots Item-Level Inventory and Operations Management Tools |
American Apparel pilots the Clarity-ARS Advanced Retail System from
Xterprise. The pilot allows American Apparel to validate the solution's
store item-level inventory and operations management capabilities in an
actual store environment.
With over 225 retail stores today, and plans to grow significantly in
the next several years, establishing a store item-level inventory
management system is a key component of American Apparel's aggressive
growth plans.
The Clarity-ARS Store Inventory Management solution from Xterprise was
selected for the pilot because of its item-level inventory management
functionality. The system uses Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2 and its
BizTalk RFID capabilities. The apparel retailer anticipates that the
system will help increase sales and customer service, reduce out-of-
stocks, and provide greater security and loss prevention. American
Apparel also will be able to use advanced business intelligence to
better respond to stock movements and in-store consumer behavior.
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Dabs.com Adds Multi-Channel Retail Software
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Dabs.com, a direct retailer of electronics goods and services in the
UK, selects JunctionRES from Junction Solutions to underpin its entire
operation, to help drive growth and deliver improved customer service.
The company needed to replace its home-grown systems due to its
decreasing ability to keep up with the fast paced evolution of the
business. The retailer decided to replace them with a new multi-channel
retail enterprise-wide (ERP) solution to better manage planning,
purchasing, warehouse, order processing, customer services, returns and
marketing. After reviewing many software vendors, dabs.com chose
Junction Solutions and Microsoft Dynamics AX.
"Our business operates across many channels on single digit margins,"
says Neil Catto, financial director, dabs.com. "With prices changing
daily on short life-cycle product lines that can last for as little as
3 weeks, efficient and flexible technology is absolutely fundamental to
our success. Having looked at the marketplace, we felt that Microsoft
Dynamics AX stood out as the most flexible, intuitive and powerful ERP
platform around."
The company said that because it holds only around 3-4 weeks stock at
any time, accurately forecasting demand and knowing the quantities and
types of stock it needs to order is the best way of avoiding over- or
out-of-stocks.
"Junction Solutions demonstrated an intimate understanding of
multi-channel retail and also provided a proven retail solution built
on Microsoft Dynamics AX, so it was an obvious choice for us," says
Catto. "The deep integration of JunctionRES and Consumer Driven
Planning, along with the technology stack offered through the Microsoft
Dynamics AX architecture provides endless opportunities for us as a
company."
Once the project is complete, Dabs anticipates a reduced cost of
purchasing from its suppliers due to improved supply chain visibility,
shorter lead times and reduced levels of reserve stock. Improved stock
availability and more targeted analysis of marketing initiatives are
likely to give rise to increased sales. Other benefits cited include:
improved reporting across the business; tighter controls; cost
reductions through the automation of administrative functions; and
improved operational speeds, for instance on customer orders and
logistics.
Imperial Trading Company Extends Relationship with Inovis
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Imperial Trading Company, a wholesale grocer for independent retail
grocers, renews its relationship to have Inovis continue to support
communication and connectivity with the Inovisworks Value Added Network
(VAN) for business community management communication and visibility
between the wholesale grocer and its convenience store and grocery
customers.
With Inovis business community management communications and
visibility, Imperial has a single platform to manage the movement of
transactions across communities, technology and support requirements.
Connectivity is supported by the Inovis Multienterprise Expert Service
Hub (MESH) platform and Inovis Business Process Protection Services,
four services that protect data traffic quality, governance and
security. The platform supports a wide range of data formats as well as
connectivity, access, transport and security options, including:
Data formats: EDI, XML, RosettaNet and EDI-INT
Connectivity: Internet, dial-up, frame relay and leased lines
Access: Event-driven and store-and-forward mailbox capabilities
Transport: HTTP, FTP and SMTP
Security: SSL, S/MIME, IPSEC, VPN and PGP
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