LightSpeed Unifies In-Store and Online Retail Commerce

MONTREAL and NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- NRF Booth # 1963 -- LightSpeed, the software company that is revolutionizing retail commerce, unveiled LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud, giving retailers a single Web-based system for managing sales, inventory and customers both in-store and online. Debuting at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Annual Convention and Trade Show, LightSpeed is now the only point of sale system to offer an inventory-centric solution that empowers brick-and-mortar retailers to manage their business across all channels, from any device.

"For most brick-and-mortar retailers, having an eCommerce presence is essential. When you have a high volume of inventory, however, adding a new sales channel can quickly make managing stock and sales quite complex," said Dax Dasilva, chief executive officer and founder of LightSpeed. "Until now, there hasn't been a system that integrates critical functions like eCommerce, inventory management and point of sale in real-time without sacrificing the functionality that merchants need to support their retail environments. LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud is the single tool that professional retailers need to deliver a true 360 degree view of their business and realize their vision for commerce."

Powering the Omni-Channel Store

According to Retail Systems Research (RSR), 42 percent of retailers say that one of the biggest challenges for succeeding in a multichannel environment is that inventory isn't integrated. In today's shopping climate, retailers are struggling to manage inventory levels, sales and product information across Web, mobile and in-store environments while still delivering a consistent experience to customers, no matter where or how they buy. Most retail management tools address only a single element – payment, inventory, eCommerce – leaving merchants juggling several disparate systems.

LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud eliminates this problem by allowing retailers to easily view and manage inventory from all selling environments, monitor sales, manage suppliers and track customer preferences, all from a single dashboard that is accessible anywhere from a web browser or an iPad app. Additionally, LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud's easy-to-use, customizable eCommerce templates let retailers choose from a variety of beautifully designed themes and create an online destination with minimal effort.

LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud allows retailers to:

• Consolidate online and offline inventory, sales and reporting into one system, helping merchants identify opportunities to move inventory across channels in real-time to fulfill demand.
• Access product information from a browser or an iPad app, allowing salespeople to answer customers' questions on the spot and help them find exactly what they want.
• Easily extend their store online through an easy to set-up web-store, integration with 3rd party email services, and the ability to instantly update products including images, descriptions, promotions and discounts.
• Achieve lower cost of ownership by using one system versus several systems that may need custom integration and additional manpower to work properly. Web Store for Cloud pricing is a simple monthly fee, starting at $49 per month.

"We're a small organization with all of us performing many tasks; having LightSpeed Cloud™ as our POS saves time for both us and our customers, because we can check out customers anywhere in the store from multiple devices," said Jessica Cerise, of Anderson Ranch Arts Center. "LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud will allow us to continue our relationships with customers online, and it's integrated with our LightSpeed POS. It's going to be great for our business."

2013 Momentum

More than 17,000 high-volume retailers, from boutiques to large global brands, use LightSpeed to manage their businesses. In 2013, LightSpeed processed $6 billion in transactions, up more than 120 percent from 2012. This momentum helped LightSpeed achieve 60 percent revenue growth last year.

Resources
For more details on LightSpeed Web Store for Cloud, please visit http://www.lightspeedretail.com/webstore

Visit LightSpeed at NRF's Big Show, Booth #1963

About LightSpeed

Backed by Accel Partners and iNovia Capital, LightSpeed is committed to its mission of fusing innovation, technology, and design to produce the most compelling retail business solution on any platform. Led by founder and CEO Dax Dasilva, LightSpeed is designed to help retailers attain their business aspirations. Founded in 2005 and based in Montreal, Ottawa, Sydney, New York City, and Olympia, WA, LightSpeed specializes in building next-generation retail software systems that offer business owners powerful, intuitive retail tools. For more information, please visit LightSpeed's website at www.lightspeedretail.com.

Contact:
Sarah Spitz
Bateman Group for LightSpeed
(347) 382-9731
[email protected]