Industry News - May 8th, 2009
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RETAIL AND TECHNOLOGY NEWS |
Retail Scene: Highlights of the JDA Focus Conference
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A highly energized group of retail executives and technology innovators
gathered last week at Focus 2009, held from April 26-28 at the Gaylord
National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland. JDA Software's 19th
annual user conference featured more than 130 sessions geared around
the theme, "Challenges. Opportunities. Results. Excellence."
The event kicked off with a "State of the Company" address led by
Hamish Brewer, CEO of JDA. Brewer noted that JDA posted a record year
in 2008 and would continue to invest in integrated solutions. Some of
the biggest projects underway at JDA include a replenishment workbench
and an assortment manager that ties together planning analysis, data
management, price and promotion management as well as advanced
optimization and demand management. Beyond these major initiatives,
Brewer says that the company's number one strategic initiative is
managed services for its 5,700 customers across the globe.
Sam Donaldson, 48-year ABC News veteran, followed Brewer's address by
stating, "It's not morning in America, it's pretty grim in fact."
Donaldson provided his perspective on the state of the economy and
advised that if businesses choose not to support the government and
rally behind the Obama administration, they will fail.
Following the keynote, attendees had the option to sit in on dynamic
presentations from prominent retailers including Macy's, Dollar Tree
Stores, IKEA, Liz Claiborne, Lowe's, Meijer and many others. An
Innovation Zone provided an ideal setting for networking and brought
together more than three dozen technology providers including RPE,
Capgemini, Hewlett-Packard and IBM.
An exciting evening reception unveiled the 2009 Real Results Award
winners. Retailers that were honored in this year's ceremony included
Phillips-Van Heusen for "Best in Replenishment/Allocation," and
Buehler's Fresh Foods for "Best in Store Systems/Workforce Management."
JDA Focus 2010 will be held May 16-19 at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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WE Fashion Selects Oracle Retail Applications to Support Growth
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WE Fashion, the international fashion retailer for men, women, boys and girls, selects Oracle
Retail Release 13 applications to help support its growing business as
it seeks to expand from its existing presence in six European countries
and into new territories. Operating around 230 stores across the
Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and France, WE
Fashion designs and produces its own contemporary collections.
The Oracle Retail applications are part of the WE Fashion's WINGS
project, or WE Implement New Generation Systems. The WINGS initiative
will strengthen the company's foundation and improve operational
flexibility as it seeks to drive growth through expansion plans,
introduce new categories, differentiate product offerings at the
country level and create new services, such as e-commerce and
franchising.
WE Fashion selects the Oracle Retail Merchandising System, Oracle
Retail Allocation, Oracle Retail Price Management, Oracle Retail
Warehouse Management System and Oracle Retail Trade Management. WE
Fashion expects the Oracle Retail applications to provide insight into
store, inventory, merchandise and supply chain operations in order to
more quickly coordinate and adapt to changes in customer buying
patterns, seasonal inventory demand and allocation of inventory to help
optimize store performance. The Oracle Retail applications are also
expected to provide a more flexible technology platform that will scale
as the company grows, replacing internally developed legacy systems and
making it easier and faster to open new stores.
"As we continue to grow, WE Fashion recognizes the importance of
deploying systems that not only support our expansion long-term but
enable us to maintain an intimate understanding of customer demand. We
recognize that Oracle Retail applications are key to delivering the
necessary tools that can help us develop our business now and in the
future," said Koen Aben, CIO, WE Fashion.
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Microsoft, EDS Jointly Deliver Cloud Computing
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EDS, an HP company and Microsoft
have signed an agreement to market, integrate and deliver the Microsoft
Business Productivity Online Suite for enterprise customers.
This agreement extends to cloud computing HP's relationship with
Microsoft to provide communications and collaboration services.
Together, the companies anticipate deploying these services to more
than 5 million users.
EDS and Microsoft have a 20-year history of delivering enterprise-ready
communications and collaboration solutions. In an effort to address
financial challenges facing organizations, EDS has become the first
Business Productivity Online Suite reseller and Microsoft's largest
Business Productivity Online Suite delivery partner.
EDS has begun to integrate Business Productivity Online Suite,
including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online,
Microsoft Office Communications Online and Microsoft Office Live
Meeting, into EDS Workplace Services Offerings. EDS and Microsoft will
jointly deliver communications and collaboration productivity services.
They also will provide global reach and intend to leverage combined
data center resources and network expertise.
HP plans to supply its innovative server hardware and storage technology to support anticipated demand.
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VeriFone Releases PAYware PC Version 1.0.4
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VeriFone Holdings announces the release of PAYware PC version 1.0.4, its PC-based payment processing system for small-to-medium-sized merchants.
PAYware PC version 1.0.4 offers the following new features:
-Added support for the RBS Worldpay payment processing network -
PAYware PC's certifications with RBS Worldpay include credit, debit,
and gift for retail, MOTO, e-commerce, and restaurant transactions.
- Added support for the ValueLink payment processing network - PAYware
PC's certifications with ValueLink include gift for retail
environments. Ten transaction types are provided, including Sale,
Credit, and Activate.
- Updated Certifications for Elavon (Host) - Updated certifications for
Elavon (Host) now include credit, debit, EBT, check, and gift for
retail, MOTO, e-commerce, and restaurant.
- Updated Certifications for Elavon (Terminal) - Updated certifications
for Elavon (Terminal) now include credit and paper check for retail,
MOTO, e-commerce, and restaurant.
- Logfile Zip Utility - This utility compresses and bundles certain
PAYware PC log files, allowing for simpler transfers to VeriFone's
Technical Support Team (in the event of any technical support issues).
- License Backup Tool - This utility archives certain user/account
settings in PAYware PC; can be used by VeriFone's Technical Support
Team to help restore your user/account status should your computer ever
suffer a system crash.
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Stop & Shop Stores Deploy Personal Shopper Device
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Stop & Shop Supermarket uses personal shopper devices from Motorola and Modiv Media
in 250 Stop & Shop and Giant Food stores. Branded as "Scan It!" at
Stop & Shop and Giant supermarkets, Modiv Shopper, powered by
Motorola's MC17 mobile computer, delivers relevant coupons and
promotions based on individual shopping histories and enables customers
to scan and bag their items while they shop.
Nearly one million shopping trips are now completed each month using
the joint solution (Scan It!) at Stop & Shop and Giant stores, and
more than 50 brands have run paid campaigns.
"One of our key goals at Stop & Shop is to increase customer
loyalty, and our ongoing partnership with Modiv Media and Motorola has
played an important role in this effort," said Bob Anderson, director
of customer relationship management, Stop & Shop Supermarket
Company. 'Scan It!' allows Stop & Shop to differentiate itself from
the competition, by producing a superior shopping experience that
results in increased savings for our customers."
How Scan It! Works
As shoppers enter the supermarket, they scan their loyalty
card and pick up a Scan It!-branded Motorola MC17 mobile computer. The
mobile computer display presents exclusive special offers and
promotions to customers, based on their purchase history and current
shopping behavior. The system tracks the shopper's progress through the
aisles and presents money-saving coupons and promotions as the shopper
nears those products. Customers select their items, scan them, and bag
them in the cart. Purchases are automatically totaled, and the customer
can pay for them quickly at a self-checkout station.
Zain's Store of the Future
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A digitally enhanced store of the future debuts at Zain, a wireless services provider of hot brands including Nike, Verizon and Nokia.
This interactive retail experience features multiple large-scale LCD
and LED displays, motion sensor screens that change imagery when
customers walk by and "lift triggers" which display product information
when customers pick up mobile devices. The store of the future driven
by R/GA, a digital agency, features a
65" LCD "welcome wall" which promotes Zain's product offerings as
customers enter the store. Text LED allows store visitors to text
messages to the sign, while watching synchronized brand images, ambient
signage and text move across the LCD displays. Upon checkout, customers
have the ability to check in at a touchscreen display and receive a
ticket or SMS message to alert them when a representative is available.
Queue signage throughout the store lets customers know their place in
line.
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