By David Dorf, Senior Director, Technology Strategy, Oracle Retail The October 2015 EMV deadline is looming. How can retailers who haven't prepared get up to speed, and realize benefits in the process?

Oracle is releasing six new Oracle Retail cloud services that provide retailers with rapid access to enterprise-grade applications for managing critical e-commerce, customer engagement, order management, order fulfillment, loss prevention, and brand compliance operations.

As technology and consumer expectations reshape the traditional shopping experience, IT departments must rapidly introduce new business capabilities while maintaining existing systems. Oracle Retail Cloud Services help retailers to ensure uptime and efficiency of key operations, while providing consistent, immediately available upgrades-enabling internal IT groups to focus on differentiating the customer experience and driving growth.

Vendor eyes multi-channel as it builds cloud portfolio. Oracle is hitting retailers with a flood of enterprise software as it seeks to establish itself as a key cloud player in the market. The software vendor will launch six products covering critical ecommerce, customer engagement, order management, order fulfilment, loss prevention, and brand compliance. Jill Puleri, SVP and GM at Oracle Retail, said: "Retailers looking for agility, performance, and cost predictability are increasingly considering the cloud. "The new Oracle Retail Cloud Services help eliminate the time and cost constraints that too often hamper retailers' ability to respond to new opportunities for growth." Many of the products are dedicated to enabling multi-channel operations, a focus for retailers seeking to integrate their online and offline business amid rising customer expectations.

Vendor eyes multi-channel as it builds cloud portfolio. Oracle is hitting retailers with a flood of enterprise software as it seeks to establish itself as a key cloud player in the market. The software vendor will launch six products covering critical ecommerce, customer engagement, order management, order fulfilment, loss prevention, and brand compliance. Jill Puleri, SVP and GM at Oracle Retail, said: "Retailers looking for agility, performance, and cost predictability are increasingly considering the cloud. "The new Oracle Retail Cloud Services help eliminate the time and cost constraints that too often hamper retailers' ability to respond to new opportunities for growth." Many of the products are dedicated to enabling multi-channel operations, a focus for retailers seeking to integrate their online and offline business amid rising customer expectations.

Oracle unveils new Retail Cloud Services solutions The new solutions are designed to drive retail growth through cloud technology. Oracle has unveiled six new Retail Cloud Services designed to help retailers capitalize on modern business opportunities. Announced on Wednesday, the Redwood City, CA.-based firm said six new cloud solutions have been added to the company's retail cloud portfolio. Stemming from MICROS Retail solutions, acquired by Oracle last year, the new cloud services are designed to assist retailers in the management of e-commerce applications, customer engagement, the stock chain, ordering and brand compliance.

Unparalleled combination of performance, reliability, security, and modern functionality helps retailers drive innovation and growth

Nordstrom has implemented new Oracle Retail Merchandise Operations Management and Oracle Retail Store Inventory Management solutions to support its expansion in Canada.

"Oracle is a valued partner to our business," said Bill Tucker, VP of technology, Nordstrom. "Oracle's retail industry solutions help to ensure that our technology investment evolves with our business to support our growth strategy and help us meet the changing expectations of our customers." Using technology in its stores and online, Nordstrom delivers a highly relevant and personalized experience that enables its customers to shop on their terms.

Retailer's implementation establishes foundation for sustainable growth across Nordstrom full line and Rack stores in North America Redwood Shores, Calif.-Apr 6, 2015 Leading fashion specialty retailer Nordstrom has implemented new Oracle Retail Merchandise Operations Management and Oracle Retail Store Inventory Management solutions to support its expansion in Canada. The retailer plans to roll out the latest releases of these Oracle Retail solutions companywide to support its Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores. "Oracle is a valued partner to our business," said Bill Tucker, vice president of Technology, Nordstrom. "Oracle's retail industry solutions help to ensure that our technology investment evolves with our business to support our growth strategy and help us meet the changing expectations of our customers."

Oracle Industry Connect, Washington DC- Apparel retailer and wholesaler Perry Ellis International upgraded its major retail systems to Oracle Retail Release 14 to deliver a commerce anywhere experience in which inventory is available to fulfill customer purchases from any channel. The move to this latest release will also unite Perry Ellis' US and European retail stores with a single global instance of Oracle Retail Merchandising System that serves both markets.

As Kevin Thompson, director of application development for Lids Sports Group, told retail attendees of the recent Oracle Industry Connect conference, the retailer has implemented the Micros Locate inventory visibility solution to enable full inventory access at stores. "It's a customer service issue," said Thompson. "We don't want to disappoint customers." Lids uses Locate for order brokering, providing visibility of inventory to other stores and DCs both from the store as well as to customers using one of Lids' e-commerce sites. Store associates are equipped with tablets allowing them "endless aisle" inventory access, and out-of-stock items can be ordered for home shipment at the POS, either from a DC or a nearby store.

A survey by Oracle showed that 83 percent of global respondents want the retailers to invest in technology and 57 percent said converged commerce is the key. Technology has transformed the retail environment and suggests retailers to adapt the new...

A survey by Oracle showed that 83 percent of global respondents want the retailers to invest in technology and 57 percent said converged commerce is the key.

(Scroll to article just below ULTA feature:) Attendees at the annual Oracle event were treated to a number of presentations by retail executives, from companies including: Nordstrom, The Gap, John Lewis, adidas, Academy Sports, Chico's, Lilly Pulitzer and more. Recurring themes for sessions centered around omnichannel strategies and improving the customer experience with comprehensive technology solutions. During keynote sessions, Oracle executives talked about the importance of delivering Commerce Anywhere capabilities to retailers. Mike Webster, SVP and GM, Oracle Retail, noted: "You don't have a big data problem, you have a small insight problem…Big Science is the answer." Jill Puleri, Oracle's new SVP and GM, Global Retail Business Unit, discussed ways retailers are using mobile differently to address five elements of disruption: mobility, data breaches, same-day delivery, wearables and weather.

"Our vision is to become the favorite beauty destination, most loved and admired by guests, associates, communities, partners and investors," Kimbell explained. "It's so critical that when our guests come in they feel like the experience with associates delivering the information, content and experiences on a one-on-one basis is positive."

Oracle Industry Connect 2015 wrapped recently, and best-of-breed retailers and brands including Nordstrom, ULTA Beauty, Adidas, Lilly Pulitzer, Gap, Charming Charlie, and more presented their paths to omni-channel, or as Mike Webster, senior VP and GM retail and hospitality, put it "evolved omni-channel, as it blends digital and physical, because 'it's all retailing.'"

Ulta communicates with shoppers across many channels: mobile, guest services, direct mail, online, email, point of sale and social. So consistent messaging across all platforms is key. "Our core guest is very engaged so she's always looking for new ways to learn more. Integrating all of these touch-points into a unified experience and ensuring she's having a consistent experience from a branding and communications standpoint helps elevate our approach," Kimbell told attendees at the Oracle Industry Connect conference in Washington, D.C. last week.  

A tech-led "invisible hand" is transforming the retail marketplace as consumers reach across borders and channels for new shopping experiences, says a new report. The report from IT provider Oracle, entitled "Retail Without Limits - A Modern Commercial Society", surveyed 500 shoppers in each of ten countries: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US.

"Our customers are the most important part of our business and finding new ways to engage with them in beauty and building our authority in that space is critical to us," said Dave Kimbell, Ulta's chief marketing officer at Oracle Industry Connect in Washington, D.C..

Adidas, which was an existing Oracle financials user, initially implemented XBR in its North American operation, where the retailer felt there would be the best commercial and functional fit. Satisfied with the comprehensive visualization XBR provided into North American loss prevention data, Adidas launched XBR in Europe in 2009, but encountered initial difficulties.