Integrated multi-channel retailing from IBM

The issues

Offer a seamless customer experience

Do you have a need to integrate your Web channel with your store? Do your consumers need significant information about your products in order to buy, including multiple product views, technical specifications, manuals, warranty information, instructional videos and information about complementary products—through all your channels? If so, how do you manage linkages between those content elements and your product information? IBM helps you answer all these questions and more with our portfolio of integrated multichannel retailing solutions.

The benchmark

Leadership, innovation and experience

IBM’s advantage is a comprehensive, top-to-bottom approach that includes systems, middleware, access devices and services. Our solutions utilize a common IT architecture that is founded on a solid set of IT and business standards.

• Since 1980, IBM has earned over 134 patents for our retail inventions.
• IBM research laboratories are actively involved in RFID technology development; their innovations include more than 60 technology patents.
• We adhere to the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) including:
  • Unified Point of Service, which provides POS device interface specifications.
  • IXRetail, to implement the Retail Data Model as XML schemas.
• IBM has developed an integrated customer interaction platform that supports multiple sites, complex direct and indirect business models and integration across multiple touchpoints.

The components

Your shopping list for a continuous experience

Multichannel retailing allows you to integrate and automate processes, leveraging the strengths of each channel and transforming how your company operates. IBM’s multichannel solution portfolio leverages top-of-the-line, innovative technology and services.

• Multichannel strategy and roadmap, which combines deep industry experience, innovation and best-in-class methodologies to deliver an operational blue print and technology roadmap for superior value realization.
• Next-generation e-commerce can include:
  • IBM WebSphere® Commerce
  • IBM WebSphere Business Integration
  • IBM WebSphere Process Server
  • IBM System p™ servers and storage
  • Design and implementation services
  • Solutions from IBM Business Partners, including BazaarVoice, Unica and Kana
• Multichannel order management can include:
  • IBM WebSphere Application Server
  • IBM WebSphere Business Integration
  • IBM WebSphere Process Server
  • IBM DB2® information management tools
  • IBM System p and/or IBM System x™ server families
  • Design and implementation services
  • Solutions from IBM Business Partners, including Manhattan and Sterling Commerce
• Unified content management can include:
  • IBM WebSphere Product Center
  • IBM WebSphere Business Integration
  • IBM WebSphere Process Server
  • IBM System p servers and storage
  • Design and implementation services
• Single view of customer can include:
  • IBM WebSphere Customer Center
  • IBM WebSphere Business Integration
  • IBM WebSphere Process Server
  • IBM System p servers and storage
  • Design and implementation services
• Multichannel gift registry can include:
  • IBM Gift Center for WebSphere Commerce
  • IBM AnyPlace Kiosk
  • IBM System p servers and storage
  • Design and implementation services
• Multichannel contact center can include:
  • IBM WebSphere Contact Sales Center for WebSphere Commerce
  • IBM System p servers and storage
  • Design and implementation services

The implementation

IBM reels in e-commerce success

The Web site of a leading fishing equipment pro shop receives more than 18 million visitors and processes in excess of 800,000 online purchase transactions annually. But the company was using an operating platform that was not designed to provide the functionality they needed.

To reach new markets and increase sales and conversion rates, the pro shop needed to streamline the purchasing process and ease management and configuration of its multichannel marketing and selling options. With help from IBM Business Partner Brulant and IBM Software Services for WebSphere (ISSW), the company leveraged IBM WebSphere Commerce Enterprise V6 middleware to implement a true multichannel e-commerce environment. The WebSphere Commerce Enterprise solution, which runs on the open Linux operating system, allows the pro shop to easily deploy and manage different e-commerce sites while maximizing performance, scalability and adaptability.

The pro shop anticipates that its new multichannel e-commerce solution will increase the company's annual revenue. The feature-rich WebSphere Commerce Enterprise middleware will also enhance the Web site and improve the customer experience.

The cost of ownership

Lower cost of ownership. Higher returns on investment.

The integrated multichannel retailing solution from IBM helps you build a support infrastructure that provides lower cost of ownership in the short- and long-term. We can help you:

• Reduce IT development costs by adhering to retail industry technical standards.
• Lower maintenance costs by integrating disparate applications, databases and operating systems.
• Scale to handle variable shopper traffic across channels without compromising response time.

Next steps

Questions about this solution? Contact an IBM retail specialist.