Eurostop Helps Pulsara Grow Retail, Wholesale, & Online Business

Unified commerce becomes reality for leading independent dancewear company with Eurostop’s connected stock control system Founded in 1972, Pulsara is a leading provider of dancewear, stocking famous brands for customers dedicated to dance including Só Dança, Bloch, and Non Passo ho Danza. Pulsara has selected Eurostop’s connected retail systems for use throughout its operations, warehouse, retail outlets and online brands. The Eurostop system will manage stock across its warehouse for the wholesale and distribution business as well as its Dance World retail outlets. Eurostop will also provide a single view of stock across all business operations with seamless connection to online channels. The Eurostop connected stock control system was chosen for its ability to provide a complete end to end solution, from Eurostop’s retail POS, e-pos touch, on the till points to e-rmis head office stock control software including warehouse fulfilment and allocation for its retail outlets. More streamlined stock fulfilment, efficient distribution, customised business intelligence using Eurostop e-cubes reports, will all enable Pulsara to achieve efficiencies across its operations, supporting its business expansion and growth. A Connected Retail System A key benefit of the connected retail systems for Dance World will be improved inter-branch transfers between different store locations. Staff at head office, store and warehouse locations will also all be able to access the centralised stock system simultaneously, providing complete visibility across the business. Many time-consuming, manual tasks will be streamlined by the new automated processes. Barcode scanners will be integrated with the Eurostop system speeding up stock takes in the retail outlets and the warehouse. Moving and tracking stock easily across its retail estate will also give the management team an accurate, up to the minute status on company stock. The Eurostop system will connect to the existing Visualsoft eCommerce platform improving processes dramatically. This will not only enable Pulsara to optimise processes and improve efficiency, but also drive ecommerce sales, providing the potential for online sales growth. “Eurostop’s systems will enable us to address the challenges that we face working as a wholesaler and retailer that operates cross channel,” stated Stephen Rock, CEO at Pulsara. “We will now have an accurate overview of stock spanning all aspects of the business. In addition, we will be able operate more efficiently, from the barcode scanning to recording and tracking of items across our integrated sales operations, through to fulfilment, making it easier to manage and grow our online business. Eurostop’s global footprint was a big factor in our decision to choose them as our EPOS provider. China is where future retail is being imagined and with operations in the Far East, Eurostop is at the centre of these developments.” Stephen continued; “The flexible and easy to use reporting functionality will provide increased visibility of sales and stock data and support business decisions that we take as a result. This improved stock management will give us time savings, cost efficiencies and – importantly a key priority for us – improved customer service across the board. From day one, working with Eurostop has been a joy. Their attention to detail and seamless communication cannot be commended enough” Eurostop’s business intelligence solution e-cubes will enable Stephen and the team at Pulsara to see what is selling well and understand customer behaviour, and to better estimate inventory needs. e-rmis stock control will provide visibility of inventory, so that wastage/shrinkage is minimised and responsive re-ordering will help to reduce stocks of unpopular lines. In addition, Pulsara will be able create loyalty discounts and promotions based on purchasing data from the stock control and POS systems. “Businesses that have combined wholesale and retail operations need to have accurate stock records in order to fulfil very different customer requirements. Eurostop’s connected systems are unique in that they have been designed to streamline and automate operations across both types of business, removing many error-prone, manual tasks. The resulting benefits of efficient stock management enable companies like Pulsara to ensure that they can maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, maximise stock levels and profits,” commented Stuart Ward, Business Development Manager at Eurostop.

Pulsara

Pulsara is a leader in dancewear, both retail and wholesale.

New mobile retail POS solution, mpos, is now available

The single integrated payment device provides retailers with the freedom to serve anywhere on the shop floor, enhancing customer journey. An MPOS for The Fashion & Footwear World The launch of mpos, our new mobile POS solution, is the latest Eurostop product designed specifically for fashion clothing and footwear retailers. It enables retailers the flexibility to process sales from anywhere on the shop floor, even where space is limited. The mobile POS solution is sleek, yet durable, includes a built-in barcode scanner – and supports quick and easy card or mobile wallet payments, depending on customer preference. How Our New MPOS Works Using the mpos units, retailers can queue bust during busy periods, or process transactions at events or in pop-up stores, essentially giving the flexibility to sell anywhere. The mobile devices also provide retailers with an easy way to perform store operations without being tied to a fixed location, freeing up till points during busy sale periods. Dinesh Peerez, Head of Sales at Eurostop said: Mobile technology is a great way for retailers to connect with their shoppers, putting customer experience first and foremost.  Eurostop’s aim is always to develop and use tech-driven solutions that meet the changing needs and wants of retailers and their consumers. Our new Mobile POS system is easy to use and provides retailers with a host of flexible options. Contact Eurostop To Learn MoreTo find out more talk to us today on +44 (0)20 8991 2700, contact us at [email protected], or request a call back.  

Meeting fiscalisation laws – Five questions to ask about retail EPOS systems

Increasingly retailers that wish to operate in multiple countries can face costly and legally challenging issues around managing different fiscal regulations. A crucial element in the fight against fraud, fiscalisation ensures that a retailer’s transactions are recorded and that the appropriate VAT is paid for a particular country (read in French here). When operating in two or more markets that use fiscalisation, help with compliance is crucial, as is working with a retail EPOS systems partner that has already achieved certification and processes to support the varied requirements. At Eurostop we have identified five key questions to consider when thinking of expanding your business overseas: Which retail POS should I choose? Choosing a POS system that can meet fiscal legal requirements, handle multiple currencies, yet has an easy to use interface for staff, is critical. Having a POS that is intuitive improves customer service and reduces training time for staff, important in an industry when staff levels fluctuate to meet seasonal demand. How do the related retail processes work? While it’s important to have a POS system that processes sales that meet local tax requirements, it’s vital also to consider how it connects to your other systems. Unified retail EPOS systems help managers view transactions and stock movements across the whole business, including multi-channel as well as in specific countries. You may also have different fiscalisation requirements that need to be considered, depending on the nature of the goods, or for example, if there is an instore café, where the transaction needs to be recorded in a different way. What reports are required by authorities? Each country has specific tax laws which require different reports. These may also differ across payment methods, for example, cash, credit, vouchers, currencies and internal international bank cards can all require different reporting. Working with a specialist retail software provider helps to identify what your requirements are right from the start and how best to achieve them. How are sales reported to the authorities? Some countries in Europe (Poland, Italy and Hungary as examples) enforce the use of a network connected, certified receipt printer which communicates directly with the fiscal authority. However, software-based approaches are increasingly being introduced to meet new regulations. These define a process, for which POS software providers must demonstrate compliance. Often these approaches mean that each transaction must be signed using a certification process provided by the tax authorities. The signature is formed using a number of elements, such as Register ID, receipt no, previous transaction, transaction date and time, amount, VAT amounts at applicable rates. This data is submitted to the authorities immediately via a secure web service, and once recorded, the customer is provided with a receipt. Because each transaction is signed and contains the signature of the prior transaction, it creates a traceable history which allows the detection of missing or altered transactions, helping to reduce fraud. How do I choose the right supplier? Choosing the right supplier with certified software that meets the  fiscalisation laws can save a lot of time and costs. At Eurostop we have experience of working with many international retailers (including M & S International, FatFace and Trespass) and are experienced in software development to meet local fiscalisation laws. We have recently achieved certification for our retail EPOS systems, e-pos touch, to comply with French fiscalisation laws. With this certification it means that retailers can trade in France knowing that their POS complies with French fiscal law, (introduced in January 2018). To comply with the French fiscal requirements, we integrated our retail EPOS software with EFSTA (a leading fiscal software developer) middleware solution “Electronic Fiscal Registers” (EFR). Retailers will be able to show the tax authorities that they comply using certified POS software, and the transaction process is straightforward, secure and transparent to retailers and their customers. If you are considering expanding into new European markets, talk to us today on +44 (0)20 8991 2700, contact us at [email protected], or request a call back

New retail POS software certification meets French fiscalisation laws

Latest French certification for our retail epos systems opens up new opportunities for retailers looking to expand internationally (read in French here) It was awarded by INFOCERT, the largest certification authority in Europe. A Consultant at INFORCERT Consultant commended the team; “The certification requirements to meet French fiscalisation law are extremely rigorous and in my experience, only half of companies are successful in their first attempt. However, I could see from the outset that Eurostop’s high quality development methods and detailed supporting documentation would support their application and have contributed to their success.” We have just achieved certification for our retail POS software, e-pos touch, to comply with French fiscalisation laws. This is an exciting new development for us and opens up new opportunities for our customers. With this certification it means that retailers can trade in France knowing that their retail epos systems comply with French fiscal law.  It is a great feature for our customers who are looking to expand their market footprint, not only operating through multi-channels, but also internationally. French fiscalisation – the why and how Since the new fiscal law was enforced in France in January 2018, all retailers are required to use certified, compliant software, to prevent any fraud by data changing and software modification. POS software companies that retailers choose have to meet strict criteria to show that their retail POS software is compliant with the law and meets the NF525 certification. Using the certified secure accounting software or POS systems, data has to be submitted to the Tax Authority (French Loi de finances) upon request in a simple readable format. In addition, all financial and system related transactions have to be recorded and saved in real time and digitally signed, including sales and refunds. High quality development To comply with these fiscal requirements, we have integrated our EPOS software with EFSTA (a leading fiscal software developer) middleware solution “Electronic Fiscal Registers” (EFR). This means that retailers using Eurostop software will be able to show the tax authorities that they comply and have a ‘Certificate of Conformity’ administered by their software provider. With this integration the transaction process is fast and secure and satisfies the criteria required. Meeting the criteria for certification required high quality development and detailed documentation to be submitted, and it is a testament to our development and projects team’s commitment and thorough working practices that we successfully achieved accreditation. For more information request a call back, or contact us at [email protected] or +44 (0) 208 991 2700

Is TMS the answer to requests for Shopping Mall rent reductions?

Requests for Rent reductions Retail needs to reinvent itself to stay relevant, and more to the point, to stay in business. While the death of traditional retail has long been predicted, at Eurostop we feel that bricks and mortar retailers still have a lot to give, and if the most recent headlines are to be believed so too do the latest generation of shoppers, millennial Shoppers are becoming more discerning and looking for a better experience and to be entertained, shopping after all is a leisure activity. One area that could really help stricken retailers is a reduction in rents. Recently we have seen a spate of high profile retailers such as Ann Summers, Clarks and Monsoon Accessorize asking for, and receiving, reductions in their rents. Landlords have traditionally set rents as part of multi-year contracts or leases, with very little option for flexibility, and over the years, many retailers have invoked a CVA or gone out of business as a result. TMS – a win/win solution While lower rents would be good for the retailers, they are not so good for the landlord. However, there is an alternative model – one that we at Eurostop have seen at first hand powered with a TMS (Tenant Management System), operating with great success throughout Asia. In the Far East where the mega-mall shopping culture is still ahead of the UK, landlords charge a smaller ‘rent’, plus a percentage of turnover. This results in a flexible rent option that adjusts proportionally if a retailer is doing well, encouraging sustainability for retailers in the mall. Those retailers that are highly successful generate more income for the landlord, and it is therefore in the landlords own best interest to ensure that they have a prime location within the mall. Lower rents + commission = a better deal for all This model could work very well in the UK where for some years now, there has been a trend towards out-of-town shopping malls. Consumers are attracted by more up market food halls, restaurants and bars, and often other leisure facilities such as cinemas and bowling alleys. Better decisions supported by sales and footfall Successful shopping malls offer a mix of high-profile anchor tenants to attract large numbers of customers together with plenty of fresh, new brands to keep the shoppers interested and coming back for more. A Tenant Management System (TMS) can help landlords to gather information such as sales and footfall data across all types of tenant, enabling them to make fact-based decisions. The data can show the location of sales so that landlords can identify the busiest, most profitable locations, and so allocate pitches accordingly. With a TMS they can also track information such as sales value by floor and retail sector. This enables the landlord to optimise the space and meet demand, by offering successful and sought-after brands premium positions within the mall. In addition, having an overall view of sales means that landlords can see the result of specific marketing campaigns, for example, a promotion to boost visitors on mid-weekdays that tend to be quieter. More detailed analysis shows whether footfall increased and if sales increased as a result. By combining a fixed price element to the rent, with a performance related element, shopping malls are able to offer rents that are manageable, even for start-up businesses, and benefit when those brands become more successful. In this way, it is in the landlord’s interest to help market the mall to attract visitors, and a successful retailer is happy to pay commission when sales are good, knowing that during quiet times the rent will be lower which helps with cash flow. For more information, find out more about our TMS solution.  

The latest trends and technology for retail EPOS systems

Today’s retail technology is defining the way that brands are interacting with customers. Providing excellent service and having the right stock are still the absolute essentials when it comes to successful retailing, however, forward thinking retailers are capturing market share with new technology that include specific EPOS features to enhance the customer experience. Clever adoption of the latest POS systems is levelling the playing field for smaller, independent retailers, enabling them to challenge the bigger players. With new EPOS features now available, the new POS systems can act as a central point for all aspects of a retailer’s business – from stock management, fulfilment, e-commerce and financial reports and customer marketing. We’ve identified four key trends in retail POS technology that can help you to compete in a fast moving market; 1. Customer experience While online shopping continues to grow, customers are still visiting stores to see and feel goods. The instore experience is becoming increasingly important. Faster checkout times, a choice of payment options and easily accessible product information are all key to a successful visit. The best EPOS features integration with your stock and warehouse systems, so that your staff can provide advice on availability across your entire store estate, and enables you to transfer items for customer collection or delivery. As well as processing transactions, they can also provide email receipts, making it easier for the customer, reducing paper and streamlining the sale. 2. Faster payment Today’s shopper is often cash rich, but time poor and won’t stand in long queues waiting to pay. Providing contactless payment, including smartphone payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay is a faster, more convenient way to let customers pay. Investing in the latest systems that include EPOS features to accommodate these new payment methods ensures your customers never abandon their basket. 3. Collecting customer data Research by Accenture has shown that 83% of shoppers are willing to provide their information in exchange for a personalised experience. Smart retailers are taking advantage of this trend by collecting data from their customers, and using the latest POS systems makes it easy for your customers to do so. By collecting and analysing customer purchases you can gain insights on what they may buy in future, and create personalised promotions and discounts to entice them instore or to buy online. The latest EPOS also provide additional reporting features that present sales data in easy to understand formats so that you can make more effective business decisions. You can see at a glance which lines are selling well, according to colour, size or if you have multiple outlets – by location. 4. Going Mobile New mobile POS and tablets can provide smart ways for customers to pay and reduce queues at the till point. They make it easier for your staff to assist customers on the shop floor, to answer any stock queries or provide style advice. Mobile solutions are also a key technology trend, as new apps are enhancing the shopping experience. Apps like Eurostop’s MyShoppr™ are available and run on any smartphone device, enabling the shopper to check stock instantly on the shop floor, research products and product lines. Getting the balance right instore is tricky. While some customers like to be left to browse alone, others like a true personalised service to help them choose the right product. The great thing about the latest EPOS tech is that by using some of the latest features available, you can enhance your instore service to keep your customers coming back, however they like to shop. Technology vector created by macrovector – www.freepik.com

What EPOS features are needed for Fashion Retailers?

What to look for in a fashion EPOS Despite accounts in the media of the big retailers struggling – Debenhams and M & S to name but a few – statistics show that the fashion market has been growing steadily over the past few years. In fact, 2019 has seen particular growth according to the National Office of Statistics . The annual expenditure on clothing, based on sales volume, has seen a gradual increase. All of this makes good reading for fashion retailers. However, in such a competitive market, to be successful you need to keep abreast of changes in shopper tastes and habits to ensure you stay on your customer’s shopping list. Fashion is a personal thing – everyone’s tastes differ, which is why the successful retailer will be the one that can provide great service, trend and product advice instore – as well as keep up with the latest trends online. The rise of tech and online shopping has clearly made a big impact on the bottom line, but importantly for bricks and mortar shops the systems instore provide the foundations for success. Today fashion EPOS systems do much more than simply process sales. The best fashion EPOS can provide many other features including; inventory and employee management, a customer management and membership system, stock transfers, sales reporting and more. By integrating with your CRM system, accounting package, warehousing, sales data and ecommerce, it gives retailers a finger on the pulse of their business. We’ve identified three key areas to look out for in a fashion EPOS system to help you manage your stock, staff and keep customers coming back for more: 1. Choose a POS till system that’s easy to use Customers with an interest in fashion enjoy the shopping experience, as well as shopping online to get the latest look. A fashion EPOS system with a clear visual display makes it quick for staff to learn, easy to use and improves your customer experience. Being able to search for stock, manage discounts and promotions and take customer details for loyalty schemes streamlines your customer service. With additional barcode scanning, chip and PIN and contactless pay, payment is quick and easy to process. Being able to provide email receipts or gift receipts at till point also reduces administration and enhances your customer experience. New tablet POS systems also provide the flexibility of being able to serve customers away from the till, to look up products, process sales and reduce queues at busy times. 2. How easily does it integrate with your other business systems? Integrating your fashion EPOS with central stock management, warehousing and business intelligence gives a complete overview of the business. Having insights of your stock across your entire retail estate and warehouse enables you to quickly fulfil requests in different stores, or meet online demand. With complete visibility of clothing ranges, you can ensure that slow moving items are promoted or discounted, while hot sellers can be quickly replenished in stores to maximise profits. 3. Reports to keep you in control It’s worth investing in a fashion EPOS system that generates reports that enable you to drill down into sales and returns, easily and quickly, to see trends. Fashion is fast moving, which means it is essential to keep abreast of changes and respond quickly to customer tastes and demands. Being able to keep track of best -selling lines, colours and sizes means that you can reorder stock to meet customer demand, so they need never be disappointed. There is no doubt that technology plays an important part in successful retailing. The right POS system can not only help to deliver the best instore experience, it can also support your omnichannel business, opening your shopfront to the world.

Three ways to improve your Customer Experience with Retail POS Systems

Savvy retailers, both large chains and smaller independents, will know that you can’t just rely on sales spikes (like Christmas or Black Friday) and discounting offers to keep a business profitable. Customer loyalty is an important part of the retailer’s armoury, which means not only providing the right products at the right price, but giving that extra customer service that makes them come back. Customer experience is a hot topic at the moment, as retailers introduce cookery demonstrations or design workshops, even sports events screenings, to entice customers in. Furthermore, ensuring that their actual shopping experience is up to par is all part of enhancing their relationship with your brand. Here are a few straightforward ways that you can improve your customer experience; 1. Save time at the till The latest retail epos systems make it easy for staff to manage promotions, so that you can process transactions quickly and smoothly at the till – and enhance your customer’s experience with no waiting in long queues. With your multi-buy offers, or extra discounts set up on the system, a quick touch on the display is all it takes to calculate the price and process the transaction – and it’s fast and seamless for the customer. It’s a fact that no matter how many extra staff you have – or how good your team – there will always be times when there are a rush of customers. Investing in a mobile or tablet retail pos gives extra flexibility – from looking up stock when serving on the shop floor, to processing sales to reduce queues at the till. In addition, offering contactless enables faster, easier and secure payment, which means shorter queues and more choice for customers wishing to pay by card, phone or even their smartwatch with Apple Pay. 2. Offer multi-channel shopping The case for multi-channel shopping is compelling. A study by McKinsey and the Harvard Business Review , reported that a retailer’s omnichannel customers are more valuable on multiple counts, spending an average of 4% more on every shopping occasion in the store and 10% more online than single-channel customers. Even more compelling, conducting prior online research on the retailer’s own site or sites of other retailers led to 13% greater in-store spending among omnichannel shoppers. There’s no doubt that multichannel selling can help you increase your bottom line. Connected retail epos systems ensure that your customers can switch between channels effortlessly. From searching online for a particular item, selecting colour and size and then choosing whether to buy online, instore or collect in store. With connected stock control software you can fulfil orders direct to the customer from your warehouse, or despatch to a store from another outlet. You can view your stock inventory across your estate, ensuring that your customer is never disappointed. 3. Embrace the Mobile App Convenience is key for consumers. Customers don’t think about in store, or online, but simply how can I get what I want, when I want, and in the most convenient way possible for them. Providing a true omni channel customer experience means you never miss a potential sale, online or in store. Eurostop’s MyShoppr® gives your customers the right information at their fingertips. From self stock checks instantly on the shop floor, researching products, to opting for delivery later at home, MyShoppr™ acts as your customers’ personal in store assistant and makes it easier for your customers to make a buying decision. Following these three steps will help boost your sales – online and instore – and keep your customers coming back. Now is the time to review whether your retail pos systems are up to the challenge to give you and your customers what they want. Extract from ‘A Study of 46,000 Shoppers Shows That Omnichannel Retailing Works’, from McKinsey and the Harvard Business Review

Is your retail EPOS ready for Black Friday?

Black Friday is an important time for retailers to boost profits, taking over in many cases from the traditional summer and January sales. This year new figures suggest that UK consumers are predicted to spend a record amount on Black Friday despite the political uncertainty. For retailers small and large, it’s a good time to take stock, not only in the true sense of preparing for increased demand of your top selling ranges, but also of the systems you have in place in store. You may already be recruiting extra staff to meet the increased footfall, as well as training up your existing team to make sure you capitalise on opportunities, but what of your retail pos system? Your epos system can make a big difference to your customer service – it may be great at processing sales and refunds, but why stop there? A live retail epos system enables you to easily calculate promotions, take customer details for loyalty programmes and check stock across your entire store and warehouse estate – all at the till point. Black Friday is not just about maximising sales on the day – it’s also about investing in the long term by taking the opportunity to recruit new customers onto your database to build loyalty and repeat purchases. We’ve put together four ways that you can boost sales by improving your customer experience in store: 1. Get your promotions lined up The latest epos software makes it easy for staff to manage your promotions smoothly, so that customers don’t have to wait in long queues. With your multi-buy offers, or extra discounts for Black Friday already set up, a quick touch on the display is all it takes to calculate the price and process the transaction. It’s fast and seamless for the customer, and frees your sales team to concentrate on offering additional offers or signing them up for your loyalty programmes. 2. Enhance your customer experience With customer facing screens at the till point you can add a new dimension to your in store experience. A full colour multimedia rear screen can enable you to display offers in store or promote other services– maybe your café specials or a gift wrapping service. It helps make your customers wait time in the queue more enjoyable and is an opportunity to cross sell. 3. Bust those queues No matter how many extra staff you have – or how good your team – there will always be times when there are a rush of customers. Investing in a mobile or tablet pos can give you extra flexibility – from looking up stock when serving on the shop floor, to processing sales to reduce queues at the till point. Mobile epos solutions help your staff keep customer service a priority. 4. Go Contactless Contactless pay is a win-win for you and your customers. Providing faster, easier and secure payment means shorter queues, reducing the number of customers that abandon them due to a long wait. Plus, you can offer customers the choice to pay by card, phone or even their smartwatch with Apple Pay. A retail epos system is more than just a till point to process sales, it’s a sophisticated omni-channel sales tool that helps you provide the best possible customer service in store. For more information on how Eurostop’s EPOS solution, e-pos touch, could boost your Black Friday sales, contact us today. https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2019/11/shoppers-expected-to-spend-2-53bn-on-black-friday-3-4-more-than-2018/