Shoppers Stop is a renowned fashion and lifestyle retailer in India with 214 stores across the country. The company faced challenges in providing a smooth checkout experience, selling small ticket products, and reducing infrastructure costs. With the help of Cyntra's mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) solution—Swyft, Shoppers Stop transformed its activities to solve the looming retail problems and achieved impressive results.
The Challenge
Shoppers Stop experienced an increase in the number of customers, the checkout process became slow, resulting in long waiting times and dissatisfied customers. Big infrastructure costs posed a significant challenge for the retailer. The reduced sales of inexpensive brand stand products due to slow checkouts also affected the revenue stream. Therefore, Shoppers Stop needed a cost-effective solution to improve the checkout experience and optimize operational efficiency.
The Cyntra Solution
To solve the numerous problems experienced with their sales, checkout system, and infrastructure, Shoppers Stop implemented the following Cyntra solutions:
Swyft mPOS
Cyntra's Swyft mPOS emerged as the ultimate answer when it came to Shopper Stop’s inefficient outsourced sales model. By implementing Swyft, Cyntra introduced a decentralized and portable point-of-sale system that had a fast response time.
Swyft revolutionized the way Shoppers Stop operated, transforming their entire checkout experience. All the functionalities of a traditional point-of-sale (POS) were seamlessly integrated into a handheld terminal. The effectiveness of Cyntra's Swyft mPOS and retail processes was further amplified by backend support and Astra Reporting & Analytics.
SAP
Shoppers Stop's retail operations were enhanced by integrating SAP S/4HANA with the mPOS - Cloud ecosystem. SAP S/4HANA is an advanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) system aimed to create an almost real-time, interconnected business environment with seamless data synchronization.
The integration was designed to be a two-way conduit, ensuring seamless synchronization of data between the Swyft mPOS and the core ERP infrastructure, through Cyntra cloud. This technical handshake enabled instantaneous updates between the systems, aimed at accelerating transaction times and simplifying business processes.
The integration primarily incorporated an Item Master, an organized database of every product in Shoppers Stop's inventory, allowing for instant access to vital product data via the handheld terminal. In addition to this, the SAP S/4HANA integration was planned to integrate several advanced features with the mPOS system, including inventory management, sales data analytics, and financial management. The integration was thus poised to extend the handheld terminal into a miniature reflection of Shoppers Stop's wider business landscape.
In essence, Cyntra's strategic move to integrate SAP S/4HANA with Swyft mPOS was designed to equip Shoppers Stop with a rich array of ERP capabilities for efficient retail operations
Integrations
Swyft provided a range of integrations, including payment processing and membership profiles, enabling effortless transaction management. This integration facilitated efficient payment processing and elevated the customer experience through personalized membership profiles. Combined with comprehensive backend support and real-time analytics provided by Astra Reporting & Analytics, the integrations enabled Shoppers Stop to optimize their workflow and make informed business decisions..
Astra Reporting & Analytics
By leveraging Astra Reporting & Analytics, Shoppers Stop gained access to live sales reports, session reports, and store reports in real time. Data filtration based on region, time, and other relevant criteria allowed for refined analysis and targeted insights. This valuable data empowered the retailer to make data-informed decisions, leading to refined strategic planning and clearer business goals.
Backend Support
Cyntra seamlessly integrated payment processing and membership profiles into Shoppers Stop's system, enabling smooth transaction management and delivering personalized customer experiences.
The implementation of Cyntra's Swyft mPOS solution delivered significant results for Shoppers Stop, including:
Revenue Boost: Swyft mPOS efficiently processed over $8.5 million in transactions within a year, showcasing its effectiveness in managing the retailer's expanding customer base. A significant portion of these transactions originated from product aisles/stands where Swyft was available for on-the-spot payments, contributing to increased revenue and improved customer convenience.
Improved Operational Efficiencies: The implementation of Swyft mPOS empowered Shoppers Stop with mobility and flexibility, streamlining the checkout processes. The decentralized checkout system effectively eliminated long queues, leading to enhanced business efficiency and heightened customer satisfaction. Utilizing the mPOS at product stands allowed customers to make swift on-the-spot payments, avoiding the need to go through lengthy payment queues.
Cost Savings: Adopting Swyft mPOS resulted in substantial cost savings for Shoppers Stop by reducing infrastructure costs associated with traditional POS systems. The handheld terminal required minimal physical infrastructure, optimizing resource utilization and contributing to overall cost efficiency.
Enhanced Membership Profiles: Swyft mPOS facilitated successful implementation of membership profiles at Shoppers Stop, enabling personalized experiences and improved customer engagement. The system efficiently managed membership-related data, enhancing the overall customer experience and fostering loyalty among shoppers.
Streamlined Receipts Management: Swyft mPOS significantly improved receipts management at Shoppers Stop. The system enabled prompt processing, classification, and instant retrieval of receipts. Administrative tasks were simplified through instant receipt reconciliation, elevating overall retail efficiency.
Real-Time Inventory Management: The integration of SAP S/4HANA with Swyft mPOS enabled Shoppers Stop to achieve real-time inventory management capabilities. Sales made through the mPOS system instantaneously updated the item master database in SAP S/4HANA, providing comprehensive and up-to-date inventory views across all stores. This optimization of stock levels and identification of fast-selling items reduced instances of out-of-stock situations, maximizing sales opportunities.
Seamless Sales Data Analytics: The two-way integration with SAP S/4HANA allowed Shoppers Stop to access advanced sales data analytics. Sales data from Swyft mPOS was consolidated and analyzed in SAP S/4HANA's analytical tools, offering insights into product performance, sales trends, and customer preferences. Data-driven decision-making empowered the retailer to strategize product assortment, marketing campaigns, and pricing effectively.
Enhanced Financial Management: SAP S/4HANA extended the financial management capabilities of Swyft mPOS. Each transaction processed through Swyft was automatically synced with SAP S/4HANA's financial module, providing accurate and real-time financial insights. Automatic reconciliation of payments reduced manual errors and enhanced financial accuracy.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Integration: SAP S/4HANA's CRM functionalities seamlessly integrated with Swyft mPOS, enhancing customer engagement and loyalty. Synchronized customer data, including purchase history, preferences, and membership information, enabled personalized promotions, loyalty rewards, and targeted marketing campaigns, driving improved customer retention and satisfaction.
Streamlined Order Fulfillment: The integration with SAP S/4HANA facilitated efficient order fulfillment processes. Swyft mPOS could instantly check the availability of products at other store locations through SAP S/4HANA's interconnected system. This quick access to stock information reduced the likelihood of lost sales due to unavailability.
Optimized Pricing and Promotions: Swyft mPOS leveraged data from SAP S/4HANA's pricing module to implement dynamic pricing and promotional strategies. Real-time sales data and customer behavior analysis informed targeted discounts, seasonal offers, and loyalty rewards, maximizing sales opportunities and improving brand perception.
Centralized Data Management: The integration of SAP S/4HANA with Swyft mPOS centralized data management for Shoppers Stop. All sales, inventory, and customer data were stored in a unified platform, eliminating data silos and ensuring data consistency across all stores and functions. Centralized data management improved accuracy, reduced duplication efforts, and facilitated efficient reporting and decision-making processes.
Onkar Wadekar, the Retail Specialist at Shoppers Stop, shared favorable feedback on Swyft as it significantly improved their checkout process. He stated, "Cyntra's mPOS solution Swyft has streamlined our checkout process, making it faster and more efficient than ever before."
The combined benefits of revenue growth, payment portability, shorter turnaround times, cost savings, enhanced membership profiles, and streamlined receipts management demonstrate the effectiveness of Cyntra's Swyft mPOS solution in revolutionizing Shoppers Stop's retail operations.
Conclusion
By adopting Cyntra's Swyft mPOS solution, Shoppers Stop successfully addressed the challenges of providing a smooth checkout experience and reducing infrastructure costs. The implementation of Swyft revolutionized their retail functions, resulting in revenue growth, improved productivity, feasible business milestones, and low run costs.
Cyntra's Swyft mPOS, backed by backend support and Astra Reporting & Analytics, empowered Shoppers Stop to optimize their checkout processes, enhance customer experiences, and make data-driven decisions.
