Fulfillment platform provider GreyOrange today released gStore, a new mobile app that creates tech-enabled personalized store experiences while using in-store inventory to fulfill online orders.
Retailers can use gStore to improve in-store inventory location and count accuracy, as well as optimize how their stores serve in omnichannel fulfillment networks, all while providing exceptional tech-enabled personalized experiences for in-store shoppers.
gStore improves both in-store and online sales as well as in-store efficiency. Higher online sales conversion rates result from increasing the same-day and next-day delivery promises retailers can make by using in-store inventory to fulfill online orders. Fulfilling orders through in-store pick-up options or shipping from stores near customers reduces shipping and transportation costs. In stores, retailers can accelerate inventory turnover and avoid discounting and stock-outs using real-time insights on inventory position, store traffic patterns, top sellers, trending items, replenishment needs and digital guidance that helps shoppers style and locate coordinating items.
gStore makes its debut at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) LINK 2022 Retail Supply Chain Conference February 20 – 23 in Dallas, Texas, Booth #1329. Akash Gupta, GreyOrange Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, will be on site to help retailers discover the advantages of gStore. gStore also will be noted in “Creating Customer-Focused Fulfillment: 3 Lessons from H&M,” on Monday, February 21 from 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Room Grapevine D.
“We agree with research from Gartner® which states, ‘the digital business battle is clearly fought and won through the digital transformation of physical stores,’”1 said Gupta.
Recent research from Gartner, Inc. shows that “73% of retailers expect to increase store technology investments in 2022.”2 Motivations include understanding that stores are central to creating differentiating experiences and brand advantage, recognition that store sales are essential to maintaining profitability, and continuing labor shortages that demand rethinking how technology and people interact to get work done.
Kelsie Marian, Senior Director Analyst, at Gartner, Inc. noted, “Pleasurable physical retail experiences matter to consumers. If retailers are to survive and succeed, improving these experiences must become an essential and crucial part of digital transformation.”
“With gStore, we’ve put the future of stores in an app,” Gupta noted. “While collaborating with store operators we realized that they juggle five to six applications to get day-to-day work done. gStore eliminates that problem. It works with existing retail systems to organize real-time inventory and order data and to orchestrate work processes that serve in-store shoppers as well as online fulfillment. It’s intuitive and mobile, and puts everything for the work day at the store associate’s fingertips. AI-based cloud software assigns and directs work in real-time based on numerous variables,” Gupta added.
gStore supports both Android and IOS platforms. It includes a tablet-based store operations app for store and area managers that provides a real-time view of inventory, omnichannel tasks, and backend store activities. It provides a smartphone app for store associates to perform backend store operations such as replenishment, omnichannel order fulfillment, managing in-store pickups, and assisting walk-in customers. It enables them to respond to customer needs immediately by giving them real-time access to inventory across all channels, allowing them to quickly locate items on the sales floor, in the back room, or in other nearby stores. It can be deployed across multiple stores to give a single view of in-store inventory to retailers and customers.
A core capability of the gStore backend is the ability to easily integrate and act on real-time data from Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as overhead RFID readers, digital tags,overhead cameras and smart mirrors. gStore also easily incorporates data from existing retail systems to improve daily work and inventory decisions in stores.
gStore’s subscription Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) price is designed to scale seamlessly and is based on the number of users served, and requires minimal up-front investment. Deployments can take as little as two weeks, depending on factors such as the number of stores, items, and users.
gStore functionality addresses four fundamental retail store needs:
1. Accurate Real-time Inventory and Fulfillment from Stores. Enables retailers to utilize store inventory for same-day/next-day online order fulfillment, avoid inventory stock-outs and markdowns, and serve in-store shoppers with accurate information on item availability and location. In-store inventory visibility and styling guidance helps store associates better assist in-store shoppers to close sales and generate higher revenue.
2. Superior Workforce Management. AI-driven work assignment and tracking enables stores to quickly scale Buy-Online-Pick-Up-In-Store (BOPIS) and Ship-From-Store (SFS) orders without adding staff or sacrificing service to in-store shoppers. It also reduces stress for store staff by organizing, assigning and tracking tasks based on real-time factors such as the number of store associates working, in-store shopper traffic and online order fulfillment commitments.
3. Exceptional In-Store Experiences. Frictionless digital checkout, virtual try-ons, and smart fitting rooms mesh digital and physical experiences to assist shoppers with styling decisions. While in the fitting room, shoppers can digitally request additional items and sizes and use tap-and-go checkout for a delightful buying experience.
4. Store Visuals and Analytics. Real-time analytics and spatial data assists planogram compliance and keeps store floor inventory replenishment on track. Retailers can optimize item locations based.
