The Technical Architecture Behind Integrated Omnichannel Unveiled

The retail industry is rapidly shifting to a true omnichannel environment. Consumer demands for instant gratification are only increasing—customers want product and pricing information to be available across the web, on their mobile devices, and at the store. They want same-day and next-day delivery, as well as in-store pickup options.

With the speed of retail accelerating and retailers struggling to integrate their POS, ERP, and other solutions to enable the omnichannel experience, companies are looking for a way to quickly and easily upgrade their IT infrastructure to meet these demands. iVend 6.6, our latest release is designed to help retailers reinvent themselves and accelerate their digital transformation with software designed to acquire, serve, and retain customers and to increase performance in this new hyper-competitive omnichannel climate.

iVend 6.6 is able to do this thanks to a number of key features and enhancements:

iVend 6.6 also features our fastest data replication engine ever. Built on a 64-bit architecture, it enables a centralised view across all stores of the enterprise. Users can access all data via any internet-enabled browser and manage it from one secure location. Retailers can view store connectivity, manage replication status, and monitor records pending at the store or enterprise level in real time.

This lets retailers manage information with ease, and makes it easier to make informed business decisions. Real-time visibility also ensures maximum utilisation of the POS hardware.

iVend 6.6 also features GUID-based system keys. Globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) are large numbers (generally 128 bits long) that are guaranteed to be unique. They can be used to securely and accurately classify information in the database.

Because of the way GUIDs are structured, collisions are very unlikely when migrating systems or performing upgrades. It is a best practice within the technology industry to maintain the GUID from any record when integrating or migrating between any environment, which will help ensure data integrity. This means retail company and customer data stays safe.

Socket APIs are another important feature of iVend 6.6. Sockets are the fundamental basis of client-server programming. Sockets allow you to exchange information between processes on the same machine or across a network, distribute work to the most efficient machine, and easily allow access to centralised data.

Utilising a platform with socket APIs is essential for retailers so that information can be shared between multiple locations, and to ensure that decision-makers have all the information they need to run their business in the most efficient manner.

The latest iVend release includes important features and benefits that empower our retail customers to adopt an effective omnichannel strategy, boost their relevance for consumers, and increase speed of service. In a rapidly changing and competitive retail market, a flexible, open POS platform will be a critical competitive differentiator.