The retailer has implemented Oracle SOA Suite to allow it to make better use of its existing IT systems, improving productivity, and support future IT investment and international expansion.
New Look said the project will allow it to focus more staff time on developing the business and the resulting IT platforms will also aid its strategic expansion.
Two parts of the four-phase SOA programme are already live and New Look said it is impressed with the results.
The programme has enabled the retailer to improve the accuracy of 40 million SKU store records, which are updated by a markdown application.
UK and international stores have been able to adopt a common approach to markdowns for the first time, allowing the retailer to
measure the overall impact of markdown decisions.
The SOA project has also allowed New Look to introduce franchise-specific purchase orders. This has improved the accuracy of the 3,000 purchase orders that are raised each week and has reduced lead times.
New Look has opened overseas distribution hubs, and international franchises are now able to receive orders without the goods being channelled through the UK, reducing the lead time to these markets by three weeks.
Two unspecified remaining aspects of the project should be live by the end of April. At this point New Look will have completed the move to a consistent markdown optimisation system across its business, and staff will be able to simply raise complex purchase orders that are required as its franchise business expands.
The project has had the full support of New Look’s group directors. It has been worked on by a team that includes staff from the IT and buying and merchandising departments, as well as Oracle and New Look’s outsourcing partner Accenture.
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