Use ERP To Improve Multichannel Operations

By Erin Harris, Integrated Solutions For Retailers magazine

Big Al's, an aquarium retail chain headquartered in Toronto, has been in business for more than 30 years. Today, Big Al's is a multichannel retailer with e-commerce activity in the United States and Canada, as well as corporate and franchised locations operating in Canada. For several years, Big Al's used a proprietary software application with limited POS functionality to run its brickand- mortar operations. Because Big Al's distribution and ecommerce businesses were growing rapidly, the retailer needed a flexible ERP solution to meet increasing demands. Indeed, Big Al's adds 2,000 products each year — a cause for concern if antiquated or disparate technologies are involved. Therefore, Allan Saul, the retailer's president, wanted an integrated solution that would meet the business' retail, wholesale, and e-commerce needs. "We operate wholesaling, distribution, e-commerce, maintenance, and 16 retail stores," explains Saul. "We needed to consolidate the information for these siloed operations with one integrated solution. We also needed a single solution that would provide data on various clients, costs, and prices."