SAP Boosts Leadership in Retail Point-of-Sale Solutions

by SAP AG

Completes Integration of Triversity POS and Expands Global Alliance with IBM

Point-of-Sale Software Go-Lives Grant 'One View of the Customer' for Kenneth Cole in All U.S. Stores and DFS Group in Japan, China and Guam

In continuing evidence of its leadership as an enterprise software provider of choice in the worldwide retail sector, SAP AG today announced further strides in advancing the integrated retail point-of-sale (POS) solutions that are helping retailers around the world boost sales in a highly competitive market. In addition to completing the integration of Triversity POS solutions into the SAP for Retail portfolio, SAP is expanding its successful global alliance with IBM to jointly provide an industry-leading enterprise-level POS solution. The announcement was made at SAPPHIRE(R) '07, SAP's international customer conference, being held in Atlanta, Georgia, April 22 - 25.

In the ultra-competitive retail space, retailers must provide a differentiated shopping experience and greater operational efficiencies. To achieve these objectives while also managing both the customer experience in the store and the overall retail business process, an integrated enterprise POS system is critical. Enhanced point-of-service features, including accurate and timely data about customer demand, multi-language/multi-currency support and secure, integrated returns processing combined with seamless integration into core merchandising and supply chain processes, give retailers using SAP software an unparalleled ability to understand their customers, anticipate and respond to demand and inspire loyalty and brand differentiation.

A growing number of retailers worldwide are utilizing POS applications from SAP. U.S. retailer Kenneth Cole Productions, Canada-based The Beer Store and international luxury travel retailer DFS Group are among the retailers benefiting from SAP's integrated software to improve store performance and customer service while providing a quality shopping experience for their customers.

Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc., a world-leading designer and retailer of footwear, handbags and accessories, is one of the latest customers to deploy the integrated POS software from SAP. The POS implementation went live in all U.S. Kenneth Cole stores this year.

"Since the go-live in March, we have been able to enhance our customer's shopping experience and increase our visibility into customer behavior through a faster and easier system," said Harry Kubetz, COO, Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. "With the go-live of the SAP Merchandising system this summer, we will be able to seamlessly link our corporate activities with customer behavior, delivering a differentiating shopping experience that aligns merchandise mix and promotional activity with our insight into customer demand."