IT will help Walmart save

US retail giant Walmart plans to use its IT expertise to procure products directly from a larger number of suppliers, says Computer Weekly.

Walmart, which owns Asda, buys most of its stock via third-party intermediaries but predicts it can save billions of pounds by buying directly. The change will mean integrating systems with more suppliers, in many cases small companies.

The retailer is no stranger to IT projects to improve the supply chain. Walmart runs some of the most advanced systems of any company in the world, according to Christine Bardwell, retail technology analyst at Ovum. She says: "Walmart has invested heavily in state-of-the-art technology over the years, particularly supply chain technology”.

Verizon Business has a new initiative designed to help retail customers modernise their IT infrastructures using an open standards approach, states Light Reading.

The first service to be offered via the Verizon Retail Framework will be a wireless security solution, in partnership with Motorola. The managed wireless security solution is aimed at protecting the growing number of in-store wireless LANs being used both for internal purposes and for customer use, says Ravi Bagal, global managing director, retail and distribution, Verizon Business.

In general, retail use of IT technology suffers from what Bagal termed “point solution pollution” - the development over time of many individual solutions that don't interoperate, some of which may also be outdated and inefficient.

HP has introduced its latest technology aimed at improving cost efficiency for retailers, according to Softpedia.

The company has unveiled the HP ap5000 All-in-One POS system. The system is designed as a touch-enabled point-of-sale one that minimises the workspace and enhances promotional activities. The company has also revealed that its TouchSmart hardware is powering Escalate Retail's Interactive Store Kiosk.

“Addressing customer preferences, HP has expanded its retail store portfolio with an all-in-one solution that provides increased flexibility and results for a variety of business market segments,” said Ray Carlin, vice-president, retail store solutions global business unit, HP.