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

DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2012-- NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) and VendorNet^® Inc., a provider of cross-channel fulfillment technology, today announced that the two companies 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 Corporation found that 64 percent 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, pickup 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, pickup in-store is popular with consumers, as industry reports from retailers show that up to 40 percent 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 Corporation. “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.

About VendorNet

VendorNet (www.vendornet.com), delivers web-based omni-retailing and supply chain solutions that enable intelligent cross-channel commerce by integrating and routing orders from all sales channels to the best-source fulfillment location including warehouses, suppliers, and brick and mortar stores. These solutions optimize inventory usage and visibility, decrease order delivery time and expense, improve customer loyalty and satisfaction, and increase sales. More than 120 retailers and over 18,000 suppliers, warehouses, and stores are leveraging VendorNet solutions. Retail clients include Nine West, CompUSA, Neiman Marcus, David’s Bridal, Orvis, National Geographic, Rue La La, Saks Fifth Avenue, Liz Claiborne, Brookstone, and Guitar Center. VendorNet is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSI Commerce. GSI Commerce is an eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) company.

About NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a global technology company leading how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business. NCR’s assisted- and self-service solutions and comprehensive support services address the needs of retail, financial, travel, hospitality, entertainment, gaming, public sector, telecom carrier and equipment organizations in more than 100 countries. NCR (www.ncr.com) is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia.

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Source: NCR Corporation

Media:
NCR Corporation
Mark Scott, 678-808-7721
mark.scott@ncr.com
or
GSI Commerce
Kelly Henry, 610-491-7474
Sr. Director, Global Public Relations
Twitter: @GSICommerce
news@gsicommerce.com