Security breach

IN BRIEF
E-commerce is king ROLLING-OUT
Martec report reveals e-commerce is top investment priority
E-commerce will be UK retailers’ biggest IT
investment priority over the next three
years, according to Martec’s ‘IT in Retail
2013’ Report. The report, sponsored by JDA
Software Group, asked IT directors and senior
managers from the UK’s leading 150 retailers
about their IT strategies and spending.
Store systems were retailers’ second biggest
investment priority, yet the gap between these
and e-commerce had widened signifi cantly over
the last year. Third in investment priority were
supply chain and systems integration, which
were followed by CRM systems.
The report also revealed overall IT spending
across the retail sector had fallen. IT spend as a
percentage of sales was 0.9 per cent in 2012,
compared to one per cent in 2011. Prior to
2011, IT spend was on average 1.3 per cent of
sales for a period of four years.
When it comes to the deployment of IT
systems, there is a growing trend towards using
cloud-based applications. Thirty-fi ve per cent of
Video screening AND analytics in ONE application
Is he a known shoplifter?
How old is she?
When, where did he enter?
the retailers surveyed said they were currently
using them, with a further 28 per cent saying
they plan to do so in the future. Interestingly
23 per cent said they don’t have a transactional
website. However, those retailers with one saw
online sales represent 7.3 per cent of total
sales, up from 6.3 per cent the previous year.
The report also revealed m-commerce as an
area of increased focus for retailers. Forty-nine
per cent of retailers stated they were already
using m-commerce, with a further 13 per cent
saying they plan to do so.
Department stores and mass merchandisers
thought online sales would peak at 30-40 per
cent of total sales. Small format stores thought
20-30 per cent, while food and drug and large
format speciality retailers thought it would
be 10-20 per cent. Finally, the survey revealed
more retailers are looking to offer free Wi-Fi
in-store. Twenty-three per cent of retailers
surveyed said they already offered free Wi-Fi,
while 12 per cent said they plan to provide this.
How often was she here this month?
Is she an employee?
Is this valued customer Jim Jones?
How many people are here? Is it too crowded in this area?
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news
Kiddicare continued its rapid multi-channel
acceleration with its fi rst superstore
launch of 2013. The store opened on 27
February at Parkgate Shopping, Rotherham.
Rotherham is the fi rst of seven
Kiddicare superstores opening in 2013.
NEW WEBSITE
Joules will utilise the ‘out of the box’
hybris Commerce Accelerator to support
the launch of their new website, which
has been facilitated through hybris partner,
Eclipse Group. Commerce Accelerator
helps deploy a truly integrated solution.
IPADS IN-STORE
SOLE|TRADER has introduced iPads to
its UK stores with a private WiFi network
from Vodat International. The system enables
SOLE|TRADER to securely process
transactions through the store checkout
as well as online, giving customers access
to in-store and online stock.
Face Recognition Technology
for real-time video screening,
people analytics, crowd detection
and VIP recognition
FaceVACS-VideoScan instantly
detects, tracks, recognizes and analyzes
people in video streams.
Users can detect and identify persons
of interest while receiving demographic
and behavioral data, making it the
only video technology on the market
that can support security staff and
operations management simultaneously.
See it live at RBTE, booth 132!
RS