Integration of product inventory to point-of-sale software helps retailers drive sales across channels and preserve margin in an increasingly competitive market.

NCR Corp. and VendorNet Inc., a provider of cross-channel fulfillment technology, have entered into a strategic agreement that will see NCR integrate VendorNet’s cross-channel StoreNet In-Store Pickup fulfillment technology into its NCR Advanced Store point-of-sale (POS) software.

Recent research conducted by The NPD Group for NCR Corp. found that 64% of shoppers surveyed stated that the ability to buy, take delivery or return a product across all channels (stores, online and mobile) is extremely or very important.

The combined technologies will provide retailers with a seamless, out-of-the-box fulfillment solution that links store product inventory to e-commerce platforms for in-store pickup by consumers. The integrated NCR and VendorNet software will support the entire “buy online, pick up in-store” process through:

            •            visibility of available merchandise

            •            merchandise or item pick list for store associates

            •            shipping to the consumer’s preferred store location

            •            email alerts to the consumer notifying them that their item is ready for pickup

            •            bin location look-up for store associates to locate the consumer’s online order and

            •            faster checkout at the POS

This is a particular advantage for retailers, as they can now deliver consumer-friendly “buy it your way” solutions that are affordable and less disruptive to their businesses.

Buy online, pick up in-store is popular with consumers, as industry reports from retailers show that up to 40% of online purchases are picked up in the store. This is also a valuable opportunity for retailers to provide complementary promotions to consumers at the point-of-sale, or provide other offers to drive new revenue through cross-selling, which is facilitated through NCR Advanced Store.

“Retailers need to be more innovative than ever before to stimulate sales and preserve margin in the face of crushing competition,” said Rick Chavie, vice president, retail marketing, NCR Corp. “By offering consumers more options that enable them to shop based on their preferences and presence in a retailer’s channels, retailers can ultimately deliver better service and enhance the shopping experience for their customers.

“As a retail technology provider, our goal is to provide solutions that ultimately cater to consumer’s blended shopping patterns. That means helping retailers transcend the challenge of cross-channel integration. Inventory visibility and flexible fulfillment options that are integrated with point-of-sale systems are key cross-channel components,” said Sharon Gardner, president, VendorNet. “Our agreement with NCR consolidates these components to provide a powerful yet transparent cross-channel experience for retailers and more importantly, the customer. It’s NCR Advanced Store point-of-sale with extra torque.”

NCR Advanced Store is part of NCR’s c-tailing solutions, a set of software and services that enable retailers to offer consumers greater personalization and consistency across channels, such as the Internet, mobile devices, social media and in the store. These converged retailing solutions enable retailers to differentiate themselves, lower operating costs and attract today’s empowered and elusive consumer.