Shop on the Internet -- pay at the store

[January 14th 2002]

Internet shoppers who find great deals on the Web may soon be able to pay with cash or check at a nearby store -- and even use gift certificates or discount coupons -- thanks to software announced today by NCR Corporation.

Most retailers' Web sites only allow shoppers to pay with major credit cards, but NCR's Web Data Transfer Agent (WDTA) expands the options by enabling Internet shoppers to complete their transaction at a physical store. It also opens new opportunities for the retailer to gain incremental store sales.

WDTA is a set of software components that allow retailers to integrate their Web-based e-commerce solutions with their point-of-sale (POS) solutions through a standardized interface. WDTA is available with NCR's Internet- enabled Advanced Store@General Merchandise (AS@GM) application, a POS software package designed for multichannel retailers. The WDTA component architecture also is available for integration with other existing POS applications.

"Suppose a shopper finds a unique item on a retailer's e-commerce Web site, but wants to pay by check or with cash," said Dave Ashcraft, vice president and general manager of NCR's General Merchandise Software business. "With WDTA, a cashier at one of the retailer's stores can connect to the Web site, place the item in the Web 'shopping cart,' import that transaction to the store POS terminal, and accept the customer's payment. Once in the store, the shopper might purchase additional items that he or she did not notice on the Web.

"Alternatively, if a shopper can't find an item in the store, the cashier can order that item from the Web --using the store POS terminal -- for delivery to the customer's home," Ashcraft added. "This positively impacts the retailer's business by decreasing lost sales."

Retailers using WDTA can offer other options to Web customers who complete purchases in the store, including the ability to get in-store sale prices and tender store or manufacturer coupons, gift certificates and store credits. "Retailers are challenged to grow and remain profitable in an increasingly complex and competitive market," Ashcraft said. "WDTA provides a flexible and attractive tool for enhancing customer satisfaction while capturing additional sales opportunities."

Links
NCR Corporation		http://www.ncr.com