With initial roll-out across the company’s nine retail outlets, followed by web integration, it is envisaged that the new system will significantly improve existing sales processes. It will also enable better management control, assisting in market trend spotting and enabling the business to respond more quickly to customer needs. To support company and web trading development, John Marlor, retail controller at Collectables, says that his company chose Futura, “because we feel confident and comfortable with their team and are sure, in a long term relationship, that we have the greatest chance of increasing profitability.”

After bedding in the system, the retailer plans to use Futura to control internet stock and improve customer information to give a clearer view of customer spending patterns, enhance existing loyalty schemes to offer greater value and offer e-gift cards. This will enable it to more precisely target the right mailer to the relevant customer thereby improving promotional opportunities. It says that, by carrying forward sufficient historical data onto the system, the head office will now be able to better plan and forecast, and greater visibility of information will enable store managers to be more creative, improve their business and commercial judgement and better participate in the development and progress of the company. At present, replenishment calculations and reporting are not sophisticated, but Collectables hopes to speed up putting goods inwards into the system from ten days to 24 hours.