Myer is expecting to have rolled out a new point-of-sale system to its 57 department stores Australia-wide by October this year.
The retailer said it is also nearing completion of a deployment of 3750 mobile devices by the vendor Zebra Technologies, a project it first revealed in June last year.
In its first-half FY23 results released today, Myer said it spent the six months to January 28 this year ensuring its “team members have the technology they need to service our customers and provide the best experience”.
“We'll have new point-of-sale software to all stores by October 2023," chief executive John King said.
"We'll also complete the rollout of over 3750 separate mobile devices, which allow team members to conduct activities such as receiving and dispatch stocktake, online fulfillment inventory, [and] acquiring pricing."
An M-Metrics Team Member app on the devices also offers staff real-time digital communication product knowledge and performance recognition, “which is delivered directly to our team members devices”.
“The app displays all customer feedback and provides a wide range of learning moments, including video content," King said.
Omnichannel focus
Myer plans to continue to deliver customer choice across its omnichannel - in-store and digital - shopping offering.
Online sales in the first half of FY23 fell 9.8 percent to $382 million on the prior corresponding period.
King said that was due to customers returning to in-store shopping and purchases; the retailer's online sales had been temporarily boosted by "mandated lockdowns", it said in financial statements.
However, King said the online business remains strongly up on where it was back in 2020, and still accounts for 20 percent of total sales.
A national distribution centre (NDC) set to open later this year in Victoria is set to manage 70 percent of online orders.
“The NDC will underpin our profitable growth and provide more effective online fulfilment when it becomes operational in the coming months," King said.
He added Myer will continue to work on “ongoing improvements to the customer experience both in-store and online; new events and uplifted customer experiences, supported by story layering and refurbishment program”.
It also continues to augment its loyalty scheme.
Over the half Myer recorded total sales of $1.9 billion, up 24.2 percent year-on-year.
Net profit after tax hit $65 million, its best result since the first half of 2014.
