As your customers continue to turn to e-commerce and web-to-store shopping solutions, it has never been more important to maneuver swiftly and smartly when it comes to all the new technology that is surfacing within the retail world.
To a certain extent, retail has always relied on technology; and as developing an online strategy to coexist with your brick-and-mortar location became a greater priority, the importance of keeping pace with retail tech only grew. So too did the frustration of attempting to build and manage both your in-store and online worlds efficiently.
Enter the “cloud,” and the continued evolution of retailers taking advantage of this still relatively new technology.
First a quick 101 on all this and where cloud computing comes in with regard to the aforementioned bricks-and-clicks dilemma. In essence, cloud computing (whose name comes from the cloud-shaped symbol used in system diagrams) simply means moving things from on‐site servers to remote data centers. Business software hosted and run on these servers can then be delivered to users’ web browsers directly from the cloud, and this has been dubbed Software as a Service (SaaS).
There have been quite a few variations on this theme, but a few cloud service companies that have developed specific programs for small to medium-size retailers might be worth a look-see.
Actionable Cloud Communication
Duluth, Georgia-based NCR, a creator of B-to-C interactive cloud-based retail solutions, has created something they call NCR Silver (ncrsilver.com)—an iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch POS system married to what we’re told is a very powerful inventory control and data analytics engine in the cloud.
The company’s vice president of Small Business, Christian Nahas, told us how the program works for the retailer.
“NCR Silver not only captures the data, but it analyzes the data and presents actionable alerts and reports proactively. So, for example, if a certain product is selling below a profit margin the business owner sets, NCR Silver sends the owner an alert to prompt him to take action,” he explained. “If a customer makes a large purchase, again an alert is sent for the owner to take action with an e-mail or phone call to the customer thanking them for their business. When a customer has not made a purchase in a while, NCR Silver automatically e-mails the customer inviting them back into the store with an offer.”
The cost savings that the cloud element brings in this equation are substantial, as the ability to leverage the cloud for these types of analytics can deliver solutions that just three years ago would have cost thousands of dollars. Today, programs like NCR Silver can be implemented for less than $100 a month.
Cash Registers Be Gone
New York-based ShopKeep (shopkeep.com) is another producer of cloud-based services for small and medium-size retailers that offers a POS solution specific to what its founders claim will be the eventual disappearance of cash registers from the retail landscape. ShopKeep essentially allows the retailer to run their in-store responsibilities from an iPad. The ShopKeep iPad app rings sales, prints receipts and can process credit cards. The technology’s founders also explain it can manage inventory, reports and customer data from anywhere, without the need for any extra hardware. All the data is stored in the cloud.
The company’s software service comprises two parts: 1 – A front-end cash register interface for iPad or Mac; and 2 – A “BackOffice” website where all transaction data is located and available for store owners and managers to view from any web browser. The register front end is synced with the cloud-located BackOffice, which provides full reports and QuickBooks integration for real-time accurate reports with the click of a button.
Martha Refik, a New Jersey-based retail analyst summed up the new direction retail is taking today as the mystery surrounding the cloud begins to lift.
“The notion of constant customer communication is certainly nothing new to smaller retailers. The fact it can be accomplished far more efficiently and effectively from an IT perspective utilizing these kinds of cloud-based services is what’s exciting for these people,” she began. “The key here is the fact small retail owners can run their stores without being stuck in them.”
Imaging Manufacturers Take to the Cloud
Another interesting development worth keeping an eye on with regard to the direction cloud technology is taking is what some of the major DI players on the manufacturing side are doing of late with the cloud.
Sony is clearly making a big play in the cloud-based storage business with their new service, PlayMemories Online. Sony initially gave the masses a kind of sneak peek at PlayMemories Online as a cloud-storage photo service as they offered it on PlayStation 3, PSP and PS Vita. For $15, consumers could use these game devices to organize, edit and share videos and photos to social sites such as Facebook and Google+.
Sony is now bringing that service to smartphones, tablets, computers, Sony Bravia TVs and Sony cameras—in other words, to every imaginable screen in what they hope is the totally Sony-centered household. For the initial launch, PlayMemories Online users got 5GB of cloud storage for free.
Canon also made a recent splash in the cloud storage/sharing waters with their Project 1709 announcement at photokina. This is an in-the-works cloud-based service that will allow photographers to store their entire library of photographs online. As is the case with most cloud services, the images would then be available from anywhere, accessible using any device (computer, tablet, smartphone, Internet-connected camera). Canon tells us the service is currently in closed beta, but those interested can preregister on the website (project1709.com) and will be notified when it’s ready to roll.
Unique to the Canon effort is the fact the site is big on photo organization using the EXIF data in digital images to further organize images (you can filter by which camera was used, for example). Various forms of tagging are also used for additional layers of more specific file management. The service will also be highly integrated with social network sites like Facebook and Google+.
And Canon and Sony aren’t the only major CE/imaging manufacturers testing these waters. Along with HP’s CloudDrive and the Lenovo Cloud, Samsung is reportedly working on rolling out a photo storage/sharing cloud service of its own in the near future.
All the above should bring a smile to the face of the imaging retailer, as the more images that are properly stored, better organized and more easily shared, the greater the potential they will become more actionable memories for the consumer—i.e., photo merchandise!
The best news of all is that all of these solutions/trends are either consumer facing or a way to understand your customer better. Great to see that at the end of the day, it’s still all about the customer.
