IBM defines the ecosystem of in-store merchandising mechanisms and their information dependencies as the Store Integration Framework (SIF). These SIF customer communications mechanisms propose efficiencies that can increase same store sales and margins, but their overriding effectiveness is entirely dependent on timely availability of relevant information.

Passive communications, such as printed signs and shelf tags can be influential, but require information that is rarely available. So how to create customer-centric merchandising that can make a difference to buying behavior? The answer requires in-store communications mechanisms that interact with the customers during the shopping visit, while making the communications relevant to the individual customer. Simple to define, but execution requires Retailers to manage a vast, and ever increasing, array of information assets, which raises the question of whether information is really an asset, or is its overwhelming vastness a liability impeding effective merchandising.

For SIF to be effective, it must be able to present relevant, personalized, customer-centric merchandising communications and interactions with customers while they shop. IBM defines this information management component as “Business Integration”, which must coordinate the customer messaging to create consistency across all in-store devices. Click here to find out more

At ImpulseLogic we have taken a holistic view of the Business Integration function to ensure the existing information assets are applied to ensure all customer communications mechanisms deliver meaningful, consumer-centric, “on-demand” content to inform, educate and influence customers to purchase more per shopping visit

MerchandiseIQ (MIQ) is applied as the SIF Business Integration that manages information assets using an ETL/MDM “type” capability to concurrently interact with multiple, disparate applications, data sources, and data models.  MIQ provides real-time access, extraction, transformation and delivery of “relevant-to-purpose” intelligence in support of more effective merchandising and marketing initiatives. Click here to find out more

SignIQ Enterprise Edition (SignIQee) is the optimum design, development and deployment tool for electronic shelf tags and print production of in-store signs and shelf tags.  SIQ can create templates, formats and content definitions for both print and electronic output. Click here to find out more

MIQ and SIQ combine to automate the provisioning of rich merchandising content proven to increase average basket sizes, same store sales and profitability.