Borders UK books in The Retail Suite from Itim

Itim — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:17:58 +0100

Borders UK Ltd, one of Britain's best-known booksellers, has signed an initial Heads of Agreement to roll out and subscribe to The Retail Suite from the retail software specialists Itim. Full contracts are planned to be signed by the end of April with implementation of the solution across its entire UK estate before the end of the year, as a key part of separation from its previous US parent Borders Group International. The project kick-off coincides with the first fully integrated release of this sophisticated suite of retail solutions from software developer Itim.

The Retail Suite is an integrated solution to run an entire business, and will provide Borders with Store Systems, Merchandise Planning, Merchandising, Finance and Management Information. This rich suite of retail functions is delivered through a browser interface and can be implemented via a hosted, subscription-based model, allowing retailers to grow their business with IT costs linked to their growth.

Borders UK CIO Simon Thomas is confident that The Retail Suite is the right fit for Borders and that it will quickly begin to add value to its operations. "After an extensive review of potential solutions and services, we're looking forward to working with Itim on an exclusive basis," Thomas said. "They demonstrate a strong understanding of our needs and have already proven their ability to deliver a fantastic solution."

Simon Curtis, Managing Director of Itim agrees that the solution is a perfect fit for Borders. "Given our experience in the book industry and the fact that The Retail Suite's broad functionality supports both book and non-book needs, the Itim - Borders partnership seems natural," Curtis said. "We're all excited to be working with Simon and his team to deliver this value-adding solution."

Retail Bookselling Chain of the Year 2005 & 2006, Bookselling Company of the Year 2006 & 2007, Children's Retailer of the Year 2007, and Magazine Destination Retailer of the Year 2007, Borders UK has over one million square feet of retail space and around 8% of the retail bookselling market. Borders currently operates 42 Borders superstores in city centres and retail parks from Bournemouth to Inverness and 26 high street and airport bookshops under the Books etc. and Borders Express brands.

The National Trust opts for The Retail Suite - Planning solution

Itim — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:16:57 +0100

The National Trust has recently selected Itim's Merchandise Planning solution powered by Buyers Toolbox from US partner ANT USA. The National Trust is a non-profit organisation working to preserve and protect the coastline, countryside and buildings of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Completely independent of government, the Trust relies on income from membership fees, donations and revenue raised from commercial operations, such as the over 200 shops at National Trust sites. Maximizing the revenue of its shops by improving inventory management helps the Trust reach its financial goals.

The shops offer a wide range of merchandise, much of which is exclusive, and many of the items on sale have been carefully chosen to reflect the character of the Trust's magnificent houses and glorious gardens, or the National Trust's work.

Itim's solution is a powerful, easy to use and cost effective Windows product that has now given The National Trust the freedom to plan for its business, from sales and stock to margin and turnover, in a way that is meaningful to them. The solution allows retailers of any type and size to monitor business performance by department, key product, store and channel, all at the click of a button. Having a tool that makes it possible to respond rapidly to ever-changing market conditions will also help develop new marketing and sales opportunities for The National Trust.

Itim news

Borders UK books in The Retail Suite from Itim

The National Trust opts for The Retail Suite - Planning solution