Robert Goddard implements e-commerce solution from LOIS & J2 Retail

04 Jul '09

5 min read

Specialist manufacturer of integrated PC-based touchscreens, LCD touchscreen monitors and point-of-sale hardware J2 Retail Systems (J2) and its software partner LOIS Systems have revealed details of the multi-channel solution they have put in place for the apparel retailer, Robert Goddard.

Robert Goddard is an independent clothing business with stores located in Wisbech, Spalding and Ely. Each sells womenswear, menswear and accessories from leading design houses in Europe and America. Formal and casualwear ranges include covetable brands such as Gant, Tommy Hilfiger, Ted Baker, Lacoste and Lyle & Scott.

Run for several generations as a family concern, Robert Goddard was recently purchased by young entrepreneurs Oliver Tookman and James McAlinden. They set about layering contemporary technology and new marketing ideas over the traditional values of service, selection and quality that had generated Robert Goddard's perennial appeal. “We were very keen to implement the most cost-effective and productive system on the market,” explains Oliver Tookman.

In addition to having a leading-edge EPoS system in each of the stores, the new management's main objective was to create an online presence, enabling customers to purchase with confidence from home. To streamline operations across store-based and web-based channels, Tookman and McAlinden looked for an integrated EPoS and e-commerce solution that would run the entire business. Their search led them to LOIS Systems, whose software and services can guarantee a transactional web presence and point-of-sale performance, all supported by a single technology.

LOIS composed a modular, all-in-one solution to meet Robert Goddard's needs. Seamless interaction between shop and web was a prerequisite. Two fully-managed web sites were created, of which the primary one is linked into stockholding in the three stores. This integrated, live stock management system provides the backbone for all computing processes and for the business.

Next came the selection of integrated PC-based tills for each of the stores. LOIS Systems' chosen partner was J2 Retail Systems.

As Steve Waller, Managing Director of LOIS Systems, comments: “The J2s are aesthetically pleasing units, fanless and silent. We were happy to recommend them as we know them to be reliable and really durable.” The J2 hardware works perfectly with the LOIS software, which was designed for touchscreen operation.

Ease of use was important, so the team looked for a system that was intuitive, reduced the likelihood of errors, and enabled staff to focus their time on selling, not on managing complex stock control processes. The system also had to be 'fit for purpose' and tailored to the apparel sector. The LOIS system was developed inhouse by a fashion retailer that was unable to find an appropriate tool. It has significantly evolved and remains grounded within real world of retail, combining technical innovation with practicality.

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