NetSuite’s Acquisition of Retail Anywhere

NetSuite’s recent purchase of Retail Anywhere affords the ERP software giant considerably greater scope in the Small and Medium Business (SMB) retail market. The move plays into NetSuite’s strategy of capitalizing on the booming vertical of retail businesses with up to 500 outlets. Key executives retain leadership under NetSuite’s aegis, leveraging their e-commerce expertise to drive cross-channel sales. All told, it’s a farsighted maneuver that aptly secures a competitive stance for NetSuite against a crowd of established retail ERP providers.

NetSuite’s Enhanced Functionality

Several key customer-facing issues and logistical concerns motivated the acquisition. Tangible benefits include:

• Inventory Visibility – Customers demand a clean, simple layout, but they also want comprehensive functionality. To accommodate them, NetSuite Retail displays consolidated counts and views by default, with the option to expand to popular utilities such as:
  • Online Purchasing with Store Pickup

   

  • Current Inventory Levels

   

  • Real-time Inventory by Location

   

  • POS Inventory

• Streamlined Integration – NetSuite’s cloud-based architecture supplants older systems relying on multiple, isolated applications. Implementation, upgrading, maintenance, and data synchronization are all a breeze with cloud administration and automation.

• Retail Capabilities – For all its versatility, NetSuite wasn’t exactly leading the pack in retail sectors. In one fell swoop, the company managed to equip itself with a souped-up, retail-oriented software package. Coupled with its acknowledged cloud superiority and name recognition, this should definitely change a few minds in the retail ERP conversation.

Moving Forward

Long story short, NetSuite’s acquisition of Retail Anywhere portends healthy growth for its scalable business solutions. Together with its partners, NetSuite can now present a complete, actionable picture in multiple retail markets. Eventually, an increasingly sophisticated customer base could provide the resources and incentive to broaden into deep supply chain operations. In the meantime, with Retail Anywhere incorporated into the SuiteCommerce platform, NetSuite becomes a natural solution for fully integrated, globally compatible online retail.