hybris To Partner With OneView Commerce, Merge Digital & Physical Store Experience

Through the commerce platform, store associates gain instant insight into detailed product information and customer preferences, support for standalone and shared baskets and checkout across online and in-store shopping - all key components in meeting the demands of today's connected shopper.

Chicago, IL - hybris software, an SAP company, announced a strategic partnership with OneView Commerce to offer a complete mobile solution that merges the digital and physical experiences in store. The solution is integrated with hybris' Commerce Suite and Product Content Management to deliver a single source of commerce across the brand.

Through the commerce platform, store associates gain instant insight into detailed product information and customer preferences, support for standalone and shared baskets and checkout across online and in-store shopping - all key components in meeting the demands of today's connected shopper. In addition, the solution offers retailers a low barrier to extending key hybris functionality into the store as it coexists with legacy solutions and provides a strategic path for retailers to deliver the shared commerce platform across new and existing touchpoints.

"Retailers are searching for a commerce solution for the store that is as dynamic as digital platforms in serving today's connected consumer,"

said Rick Chavie, vice president of OmniCommerce, hybris. "Just as big data strategies were enabled by NoSQL databases, our 'noPOS' digital strategy now enables a single platform of shared commerce across a retailer's brand and removes hardware and functional silos that restrict delivering a robust customer experience in the store. Together with OneView Commerce we will continue to extend into physical stores by offering unique differentiators that enhance the customer's journey."

In enabling the digital Web with a full service untethered POS, the new solution offers retailers the flexibility to design their customer experience in new and creative ways. At the same time, CIOs immediately realize the benefits of a noPOS strategy as it removes existing silos, easily consumes existing software assets, and embraces a modern software architecture familiar to retailers and system integrators.

This is enabling retailers like Canadian Tire to employ aggressive commerce strategies that get results.

"We are pleased to see the partnership between hybris and OneView Commerce come together around an agile store methodology. We have an ambitious commerce strategy throughout the Canadian Tire brand that doesn't stop at the doors of a store," said Rick Bankes, vice president of IT at FGL Sports and Mark's, a division of Canadian Tire, who selected both hybris and OneView to lead the company's commerce strategy. "Like many retailers today, we are thinking beyond channels and no longer view our stores as isolated technology silos. We need to empower store associates to deliver on our mission to elevate the customer experience."

"We have seen an enthusiastic response from retailers to our joint enterprise commerce platform that extends the digital experience into the store with a mobile solution that is as easy to use as the consumer apps everyone now expects," said Linda Palanza, COO, OneView Commerce.

"We designed our mobile store platform to integrate directly with a modern, enterprise-wide commerce solution to provide rich product content and continuous support for the customer journey inside and outside the store."

The joint solution offered by hybris and OneView gives consumers a truly seamless OmniCommerce experience. For example, shoppers may now browse online, add items to their virtual basket and schedule an appointment to come into the store for specific service or consultation. The appointment and the basket are sent to the store where associates are now empowered to prepare for the customer with specific upsell, cross sell or customer service strategies.

Additionally, specific promotions can be launched based on the content of a customer's virtual basket.

The solution also provides store associates with access to customer information, including purchase history, loyalty program points and wish lists, enabling them to make product recommendations, locate stock or complete orders to increase in-store conversions.

"A majority of retailers expect next generation Point of Sale solutions to come out of the eCommerce world rather than the traditional POS world. They have been seeking new ways to leverage their existing investments. This will help them be more competitive in today's retail environment and keep maintenance costs low," said Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at RSR Research. "Adding tender management to eCommerce engines gives retailers the ability to leverage digital content management in the store. Reducing feature redundancy can be real 'game-changers' for retailers."

The modern, lightweight technology to be deployed in-store is device agnostic and runs on a variety of platforms, including mobile devices, tablets, PCs or new POS devices, supporting HTML5, iOS, Windows OS and Android. Additionally, support for legacy POS devices is provided with lab-tested support on Windows OS as far back as Windows/XP. The solution is offered through the hybris Extend marketplace.

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