Marks & Spencer aims to be able to access a customer’s data on an in-store till point that will show what the customer has previously searched for online.

The new site will be running by 2013

It is one initiative being looked at as the retailer begins developing its own ecommerce platform to offer a full set of multichannel services.

The retailer’s web platform is currently run by Amazon, but M&S is taking it in-house by working with software companies including IBM.

IBM Smarter Commerce director Ian Devine said: “We would like to see customers walking into a store and staff already knowing they’ve been browsing online for a particular dress.”

The retailer will take full control of its inventory, fulfilment and customer data. The work will allow the retailer to set up and run international websites and call centres from a single platform and build the systems needed to produce personalised recommendations.

The new web platform will be up and running by 2013/14.