MNP Debuts StoreActive iPad Ordering Platform

Direct Commerce systems vendor MNP Media, Salisbury, UK, has announced the completion of a contract to provide Soletrader, a leading UK-based shoe retailer, with StoreActive, an integrated in-store iPad ordering solution and the newest addition to MNP's ActiveSeries.

Soletrader, which has a network of 50+ stores throughout the UK selling fashionable shoes to young men and women at value prices, prides itself on its ability to constantly and rapidly evolve its product offerings. Beyond its retail network, Soletrader has also developed a highly effective direct operation with extensive online trading.

The company determined that when a customer could not find their size in a store, shop assistants advised the customer to go online, which can also lead to loss of the sale. But if the retailer could capture the sale and fulfil the order a day or two later, the customer expectations could be managed and brand loyalty continued.

StoreActive Makes the Sale
StoreActive, designed to be tablet-independent, links a company's warehouse inventory to all retail locations to ensure all sale opportunities are captured. For SoleTrade, the system allows the sales assistant to search the customer's shoe requirements and place the order against real-time inventory. The customer can then pay via chip-and-pin, with the order shipped direct to home or work and the order record available to the customer online.

In addition the system supports capture of customer details to help build lifetime value from what was originally a transactional retail purchase.

SoleTrader selected MNP based on the vendor's proven track record of high-volume order processing and its experience providing order processing systems for multi-channel clothing retailers, which StoreActive knows first-hand as a user of the OrderActive back-office order management and warehouse management system.

Pierre D’Arbost, Managing Director, MNP Media commented, “Over recent years we have undertaken a lot of development work to ensure that our software can be easily integrated to satisfy the demands of retailers. Our clients have retail challenges that provide MNP with the opportunity to pioneer many ‘direct’ innovations. We are delighted to be partnering with Soletrader and look forward to our continued push into multi-channel retail.”