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360Commerce Steps Up Its Solutions

3 60Commerce, a provider of integrated commerce software for retailers, recently enhanced its ExtendYourStore point-of-sale software, and it is running on IBM's 4690 operating system (Version 2, Release 4).

Adding 4690 to existing operating system options, including Linux, Windows '98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Solaris and Mac OS, 360Commerce intends to provide customers with freedom of choice and the ability to leverage their existing assets to help minimize costs. According to 360Commerce, its POS solutions now demonstrate more operating-system choices than any other store-solutions vendor to date.

360Commerce recognized that razor-thin margins compel retailers to rank total cost of ownership as a priority when purchasing new systems. Its focus was to provide the ability to maximize existing hardware and operating-system investments while adopting new, more cost-effective technology.

360Commerce's ExtendYourStore point-of-sale technology provides for fast and efficient customer checkouts and includes transaction capabilities such as purchases, returns with original receipt retrieval, multiple-item and transaction-discount options, gift-registry sales and flexible-tender options.

It includes CrossReach, a cross-channel customer service desk that connects the cashier with the retailer's Web store and enables the new cross-channel services customers are demanding, such as reserve on the Web/pickup in the store. It also includes StoreCentral, a browser-based back-office module that enables retailers to better manage store operations, administration and reporting from anywhere and allows for one system of record for inventory to reduce costs and hassles.

The multi-tier, network-centric architecture underlying all 360Commerce applications provides responsiveness, flexibility and scalability needed while also including the interfacing technology required to extend a store to traditional or new channels, including the Internet.

All ExtendYourStore applications are designed to be easier to enhance and upgrade, so retailers can take full advantage of new market-driven functionality rather than being tied to an old release - it would cost too much to re-engineer existing custom features.

"When we decided to build our next-generation multichannel solution, one of our key goals was to provide a system that would provide the benefits of both best of breed and integration," says Christine Lowry, Senior Vice President of Marketing at 360Commerce.

"We chose Java for our architecture and all aspects of our applications because of its 'write once, run anywhere' promise. We then designed our solution to make the most of this capability. Even we were surprised by the payoff."

That capability makes it possible for retailers running on IBM operating systems to move more quickly, and with less cost and risk, to a cross- channel, Web-enabled point-of-sale solution that 360Commerce hopes will provide better customer service as well. Check out all the choices at www.360Commerce.com.