Is Technology the Missing Piece in Sustainable Retail? Know Here!

Retail technology can be a powerful tool in promoting sustainability within the retail industry. By leveraging technology, retailers can optimize their operations, reduce waste, and minimize their environmental footprint.

The Importance of Sustainability in Retail

Sustainability in retail offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Enhanced brand reputation: Consumers are more likely to support brands that prioritize environmental responsibility.
  • Increased customer loyalty: Sustainable practices can foster long-term relationships with environmentally conscious customers.
  • Cost savings: Implementing eco-friendly measures can lead to reduced operational costs, such as energy consumption and waste management.
  • Regulatory compliance: Adhering to environmental regulations ensures legal compliance and avoids potential penalties.
  • Positive social impact: Sustainable initiatives can contribute to a healthier planet and improve local communities.

Here are some key ways retail technology can contribute to sustainability:

Inventory Management and Demand Forecasting

  • Reduced waste: Accurate inventory management can help prevent overstocking and understocking, reducing the need for unnecessary production and transportation.
  • Optimized ordering: Demand forecasting tools can help retailers anticipate customer needs more precisely, leading to more efficient ordering practices and reduced waste.

Supply Chain Optimization

  • Increased visibility: Retail technology solutions can provide real-time visibility into the supply chain, allowing retailers to identify inefficiencies and potential disruptions.
  • Reduced transportation: By optimizing routes and minimizing transportation distances, retailers can reduce their carbon emissions.
  • Ethical sourcing: Retail technology solutions can help track the origin of products, ensuring compliance with ethical sourcing standards and supporting sustainable practices.

Energy Management

  • Data-driven insights: Retail technology can collect data on energy consumption, allowing retailers to identify areas for improvement and implement energy-saving measures.
  • Automated controls: Smart building technology can optimize energy usage by automatically adjusting heating, cooling, and lighting systems based on occupancy and other factors.

Waste Reduction

  • Tracking and analysis: Retail technology can track waste generation and identify areas where waste can be reduced or recycled.
  • Sustainable packaging: Retailers can use software to optimize packaging materials and design, minimizing waste and promoting sustainability.

Customer Engagement and Education

  • Personalized communication: Retailers can use software to send targeted messages to customers about sustainable products, promotions, and initiatives.
  • Educational content: Retail technology can be used to create and distribute educational content about sustainability, empowering customers to make informed choices.

Carbon Footprint Measurement and Reporting

  • Data collection: Retail technology solutions can collect data on various aspects of a retailer’s operations, including energy consumption, transportation, and waste generation.
  • Carbon footprint calculation: This data can be used to calculate the retailer’s carbon footprint and identify areas for improvement.
  • Reporting: Retailers can use software to generate sustainability reports, demonstrating their commitment to environmental responsibility.

By leveraging the capabilities of retail technology solutions, retailers can make significant strides towards a more sustainable future. By optimizing operations, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable practices, retailers can not only benefit their businesses but also contribute to a healthier planet.

ETP Group’s Commitment to Sustainability

ETP Group digital receipts and AI-powered fraud detection systems are just a glimpse of how technology can be harnessed to reduce waste and create a more sustainable future. By embracing these solutions, retailers can not only contribute to environmental protection but also improve their operational efficiency and customer experience.

Contact ETP Group today to learn more about our unified commerce and how it can benefit your business.

Struggling with Data Deadlock? Time to Breakfree with AI

Remember that feeling of frustration when you can’t find your keys, phone, or wallet because they’re scattered all over the house? That’s what your data looks like when it’s trapped in isolated silos. Businesses today are drowning in a sea of information, but without a way to unify it, they’re missing out on the true power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). ETP Group, a leading unified commerce solutions company, is here to bridge the gap. We unlock the potential of AI by helping businesses create a single source of truth—a unified data platform that fuels intelligent decision-making and propels them towards a future powered by AI.

ETP Group: Your Partner in Unified Commerce

ETP Group, a leading Unified Commerce Solutions company, understands the importance of data unification in the age of AI. We empower businesses to break down data silos and create a central repository of information. This unified data platform provides the foundation for AI applications to learn, analyze, and generate insights that drive business growth.

Why Unified Data is Essential for AI

Imagine trying to build a house without a solid foundation. Similarly, AI applications cannot function effectively without unified data. Here’s why:

  • Improved Data Quality: Unified data eliminates inconsistencies and errors that plague siloed systems. This ensures AI models are trained on clean, accurate data, leading to more reliable and trustworthy results.
  • Enhanced Feature Engineering: Data unification allows for the creation of richer datasets by combining information from various sources. This empowers AI models to identify complex patterns and relationships that might be missed in isolated data sets.
  • Holistic Customer View: Unified data provides a 360-degree view of the customer journey. This empowers AI to personalize experiences, predict behavior, and deliver targeted marketing campaigns.
  • Streamlined Decision-Making: AI can analyze unified data to identify trends, predict outcomes, and recommend optimal courses of action. This empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency and profitability.

Unlocking AI Opportunities with Unified Data

ETP Unify is a powerful cloud-native Unified Commerce Retail Solution. Built using MACH Architecture, it brings the best of retail and e-commerce functionality to the user in one, easy to use, and beautiful interface. With all information stored in one database, it empowers retail merchants and managers to have all the information and tools at their fingertips to serve customers across channels, helping create an amazing experience for consumers.

ETP Unify, a unified commerce retail platform, empowers businesses to leverage AI in several ways:

  • AI-powered Product Recommendations: Unified data allows AI to understand customer preferences and purchase history. This enables businesses to recommend products that are most likely to resonate with individual customers.
  • Dynamic Pricing and Promotions: AI can analyze unified data on customer behavior, market trends, and competitor pricing to optimize pricing strategies and personalize promotions.
  • Fraud Detection and Prevention: Unified data empowers AI to identify suspicious patterns and activities, helping businesses prevent fraudulent transactions.

The ETP Group Advantage

ETP Group goes beyond simply unifying data. We provide a comprehensive suite of services to help businesses leverage AI effectively:

Boost Sales with Intelligent Product Recommendations:

  • Personalized Suggestions: Leverage customer demographics and purchase history to deliver targeted product recommendations at checkout.
  • Matrix Factorization Algorithm: Generate highly relevant suggestions by analyzing product attributes and customer interactions.
  • Dynamic Cart Updates: Continuously refine recommendations as more items are added to the cart.
  • Dual-Screen Display: Streamline checkout with a clear view of recommendations for both the customer and cashier.
  • Upselling Made Easy: Increase sales by showcasing relevant products at the point of purchase.

Secure Your E-commerce Operations with AI-Driven Order Management:

  • Fraud Detection in Real-Time: Identify and isolate potentially fraudulent orders with our proprietary Machine Learning algorithm.
  • Advanced Anomaly Detection: Analyze order attributes like channel, product, quantity, discount, payment, and delivery mode for irregularities.
  • AI Scoring for Risk Assessment: Make informed decisions with a real-time risk score assigned to each order.
  • Inventory Optimization: Ensure efficient inventory management by prioritizing genuine orders and filtering out potential fraud.
  • Continuous Learning Model: The AI model constantly learns from new orders, improving accuracy and streamlining order processing.
  • Future-Proof Technology: Ongoing research and development pave the way for even more innovative AI applications within ETP’s Unified Commerce platform.

In the age of AI, unified data is the key to unlocking its full potential. ETP Group, as your trusted unified commerce partner, empowers businesses to break down data silos, gain valuable insights, and achieve significant competitive advantages. By harnessing the power of AI with unified data, businesses can transform their operations, personalize customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth.

ETP group is omni-channel technology partner at ET Great India Retail Summit & Awards 2024

The Economic Times Great India Retail Summit (GIRS) 2024 – India’s largest retail intelligence event – is being held at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake, India on 15th & 16th February 2024. This exceptional two-day live event is poised to reshape the course of the Indian retail landscape. Bringing together leaders from every corner of the retail world, this conference and summit is a gathering of ambitions, innovations, and forward-thinking. With representation from diverse sectors, including FMCG giants, retailers, e-commerce leaders, D2C pioneers, policymakers, industrialists, industry experts, and technology solution providers, it promises an unmatched exchange of ideas.

ETP is the Omni-channel Technology Partner at #ETGIRS2024.

ETP Group is a leading Retail Software Solutions company with a 35 year track record of delivering top-of-the line retail technology products across 24 countries in Asia Pacific. ETP’s strength lies in its ability to provide robust and innovative retail solutions built with the latest technology, architecture and design. ETP V5 includes omni-channel modules like POS, CRM, Promotions, and Analytics so you can drive more traffic to stores, have a higher fulfilment percentage, and gain customer loyalty.

The “Great India Retail Summit 2024 (ETGIRS)” stands ready to script a new chapter in the annals of commerce. Prepare to embark on a journey where aspirations meet action, where innovations shape industries, and where the future of retail is not just imagined – it’s realized.

Do meet the ETP team at the ET Great India Retail Summit & Awards 2024 to know more about how ETP can help you in elevating your retail performance and e-commerce business. Connect with us to gain insights on how to kick-off your journey to creating amazing customer experiences!

Transforming Retail Experiences with Omni Channel Retail Solutions

Retail is rapidly evolving, and customers are seeking seamless and personalized shopping experiences across multiple channels. In response to this shift, retailers are adopting omni channel retail solutions to meet customer expectations and stay competitive. Omni channel retail solutions integrate online and offline channels, providing a unified and consistent shopping experience. This blog post explores the benefits and impact of omni channel retail solutions on transforming retail experiences.

Seamless Customer Journey:

Omni channel retail solutions enable retailers to offer a seamless customer journey across various touchpoints. Customers can browse products online, make purchases through mobile apps, visit physical stores, or even utilize social media platforms for shopping. The integration of these channels ensures that customers can transition between different touchpoints effortlessly. For example, customers can start shopping online and complete in-store purchases or vice versa. This seamless experience enhances convenience and satisfaction, increasing customer loyalty and engagement.

Personalization and Customer Insights:

Omni channel retail solutions allow retailers to gather customer data from multiple channels, providing valuable insights for personalization. By analyzing customer behaviour, preferences, and purchase history, retailers can deliver targeted marketing messages, personalized recommendations, and customized promotions. This level of personalization creates a more tailored and engaging shopping experience for customers, increasing the likelihood of conversions and repeat business.

Inventory Visibility and Fulfillment:

One of the key advantages of omni channel retail solutions is the ability to provide real-time inventory visibility across channels. Customers can easily check product availability online and in-store, reducing the chances of disappointment due to out-of-stock items. Retailers can optimize inventory management and fulfilment processes, ensuring efficient order processing and delivery. For instance, customers can buy online and pick up their purchases in-store, providing a flexible and convenient option for shoppers.

Improved Customer Service:

Omni channel retail solutions enhance customer service by enabling seamless communication between customers and retailers. Customers can reach out for support through various channels like live chat, social media, or in-person assistance at physical stores. Retailers can respond promptly and provide consistent support of the channel the customer uses. This level of responsiveness and accessibility strengthens customer relationships and fosters trust in the brand.

Enhanced Brand Experience:

By embracing omni channel retail solutions, retailers can create a cohesive brand experience across all channels. Consistent branding, messaging, and visual identity create a unified perception of the brand in customers’ minds. Whether they interact with the brand through a website, social media, or a physical store, customers should have a consistent and recognizable experience. This consistency strengthens brand loyalty and helps retailers differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

Data-Driven Decision-Making:

Omni channel retail solutions provide retailers with valuable data and analytics that can drive strategic decision-making. By analyzing customer data, retailers can gain insights into customer preferences, market trends, and the performance of different channels. This data-driven approach allows retailers to make informed decisions regarding inventory management, marketing campaigns, pricing strategies, and channel optimization. Retailers can continually refine their operations and improve the overall customer experience based on data-driven insights.

Conclusion:

Omni channel retail solutions have revolutionized the retail industry by providing a seamless, personalized, and consistent shopping experience across multiple channels. By integrating online and offline touchpoints, retailers can enhance customer satisfaction, build loyalty, and drive business growth. The benefits of omni channel retail solutions, such as seamless customer journeys, personalization, inventory visibility, improved customer service, enhanced brand experiences, and data-driven decision-making, are transforming how retailers engage with customers. Embracing omni channel retail solutions is essential for retailers to stay competitive in the evolving retail landscape.

To explore the range of omni channel retail solutions and learn how they can alter your business, visit ETP Group.

Finally! A Retail revival, but for whom?

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Two years ago I wrote about the struggles of the retail industry in my article “Retail is dead! Long live Retail”, it’s nice to see some of the predictions in this article come true! Time to reflect and see what’s next.

The US retail market, the bellwether of the industry, has finally started growing again. Retail sales are surging, up 6.4% YOY from last year this July. Store closures are down 22%.

The growth is being led by Retailers who are getting the consumer back, bringing e-commerce like service to their customers, with click and collect and curb-side pickups, concierge services, frictionless returns, store to home deliveries, and many other services. While physical retail is back, e-commerce continues to grow, interestingly a major part of this digital growth is being driven by retail giants like Walmart.

At the same time, we are seeing a number of brands and retailers heading down the slippery slope. Some of them household names. The market is clearly being divided into those who will make it and those who will not. These retailers have closed unprofitable stores, cut costs, reduced manpower, rejigged their pricing and merchandise, yet they are not able to make it out of the downward spiral. So what is the reason? Since we work with retailers across 22 countries and see some of our customers and friends in both categories, we can clearly see the difference in their approach. Some retailers see technology investments and related service costs as a necessary evil, they do not see them as strategic tools to help them win this wave of transformation both in the industry and the minds of consumers. These are the retailers who are endangered, though they can still turn around if they change their mindsets.

On the other had there are a number of retailers who are quietly embarking on large internal projects to change the way they work with consumers and the service levels they provide, transforming their technology and online presence, bringing Omni-channel and self-service initiatives to the table and using smart ways to price right and brand right and promote the right products to the right consumers. They have brought in change in their existing teams and brought on board a number of new retail experts, worked closely and deeply with technology and supply chain partners, malls and banks to bring about the transformation that’s required. They are making great progress and have a shot at winning the retail race.

The race is still open, and like in any race, there will be winners and losers. May the best retailers win!

This article has been written by:

mr-naresh-ahujaNaresh Ahuja, Chairman and CEO, ETP Group

Naresh as the Founder, Chairman and CEO of the ETP Group leads the company with a clear focus on bringing enduring value to customers through best practices mirrored in software applications. Spanning 30 years of focus on retail domain expertise and IT development, ETP today, has a strong customer base of market leaders in more than 22 countries across Asia Pacific, India and the Middle East, and is Asia’s leading Omni-channel Retail Software company.

 

Luxasia Goes Live with ETP Omni-channel Solution

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ETP Group is proud to announce that Luxasia, the leading omni-channel partner for beauty and luxury lifestyle brand distribution, retail, and e-commerce in Asia Pacific, has gone live successfully with ETP’s Omni-channel Retail Solutions in “Freyja”, its new community beauty hub in the Philippines, with the ETP V5.5 POS, Mobile POS and Omni-channel Connect software successfully integrated with its online store, CRM and ERP.

The Omni-channel Transformation of Retail Businesses at ETP #Futuretail, Philippines

ETP #Futuretail, Philippines
Omni-channel Transformation of Retail Businesses

ETP Group, Asia’s leading Omni-channel Retail Solutions company hosted senior representatives from Philippines’ leading retail organizations to discuss future challenges and opportunities in an ever-changing retail landscape. The key discussion, “The Omni-channel Transformation of Retail Businesses in the Philippines”, was led by team ETP, including Mr. Naresh Ahuja, Chairman and CEO, Mr. Stephen Dodgson, Principal Management Consultant and Mr. Heherson Uy, National Sales Director – Philippines.

The discussion was part of the ETP #Futuretail 2018 event held at the Fairmont hotel in Makati, recently. Mr. Heherson welcomed the ETP #Futuretail guests and Mr. Stephen Dodgson shared an overview of ETP’s growing presence in Asia. Mr. Naresh Ahuja then shared insights on the growth of the Philippine retail industry in the context of Asia Pacific and the transition of traditional retail to modern retail, e-commerce and omni-channel retail.

Mr. Naresh Ahuja presented key growth data of retail sales in Asia in the coming years. He highlighted the significance of the retail space per capita in the Asian retail market. The presentation also shed light on the abundant opportunities at hand for the retailers in this dynamic region by adopting an omni-channel strategy for their businesses.

ETP then presented a live demonstration of ETP’s Omni-channel Retail Solutions during which, audience members were invited to come forth and personally experience the omni-channel journey by purchasing goods online and instantly collecting them from a pop-up store, setup exclusively for the event.  The audience also witnessed ETP’s Endless Aisle, Click and Collect and Click and Deliver solutions live, completing the O2O journey.

ETP will continue to drive the omni-channel transformation of retail businesses across Asia-Pacific, India and the Middle-East.

Why managing inventory the right way matters?

ETP-inventory-management

Technology has completely transformed the way people make purchases. From online marketplaces to brick-and-mortar stores, retailers tend to implement innovative measures to better cater to the needs of customers. 

They incorporate promotion planning, customer analytics, and mobile payments to enhance the shopping experience. But, one thing that forms the backbone of retailing is somehow neglected in the entire retail chain. Yes, we are talking about inventory.

Managing inventory is not just a single task encompassing certain limited activities; it is a process that involves some complex calculations such as sell through rate, inventory turnover ratio, GMROI among others. 

It is an uphill task to perform the aforementioned calculations, which in turn makes it difficult for retailers to manage their inventory. Retailers require a tool that bridges the gap between brick-and-mortar stores and marketplaces, and provides them with a single, simple, and holistic view of the inventory.

One such powerful tool is ETP Connect – a robust, multifunctional, and comprehensive tool that connects the brick-and-mortar stores with the ecommerce sites and marketplaces. It provides real time updates to the stores and head office of the retailers about the purchases being made both offline and online. 

Whenever a purchase is made through website or marketplaces, ETP Connect routes the information to the head office, where the designated authority can view the immediate effect on the inventory in real time.

Also, since retailers get access to real time data, it simplifies their task of computing complex inventory calculations, thus enabling them to take timely decisions to further speed up their entire retailing process. The effects of this are manifested in the form of satisfactory customer experiences and a robust bottom line.

ETP Connect is a one stop solution for leading retailers to end their inventory management woes, by enabling them to better plan their business strategies. It also allows retailers to have a unified view of customers, endless aisle, and features such as Click and Collect, and Click and Deliver. 

Put an end to all your retail woes by implementing a futuristic and powerful ETP Connect and embrace the omni-channel transformation the right way.

Also Read : Retail And The Importance Of Integration