Open Source and the Imperative of IT Integration for Retailers

Cloud computing and open source are changing the IT economics of the retail industry, enabling retail chains of all sizes to achieve an integrated view of their business.

Traditionally many retailers have been primarily concerned with the deployment of point-of-sale (POS) systems focused around efficiently processing customers at cash registers and accurately managing the cash and stock levels at stores. Historically, stock information calculated within a POS system was also used as input for inventory counts and tactical stock replenishment for each store.