J2 580s and LOIS EPoS & e-commerce solution now running shops and web site

New EPoS solution for lingerie & adult gift boutique, She Said

She Said, the renowned, Brighton-based lingerie and adult gift boutique, has invested in a new point-of-sale technology solution from specialist providers J2 Retail Systems and LOIS Systems.

The solution comprises Chip & PIN-compliant, PC-based touchscreen J2 580 tills together with integrated EPoS and e-commerce software from LOIS. For both suppliers, this contract marks their move into the adult retailing sector.

Observes She Said’s founder and managing director, Nic Ramsey: “I’d failed to convince myself that web and store-based integration could work as I needed it to and was considering two separate systems. What LOIS offered me was designed to make multi-channel operations work seamlessly.”

The She Said business, with its boutique tucked away in an alley off Brighton’s famous ‘Lanes’, has been in existence for 8 years. In common with many independent retailers, it used cash registers until recently without connectivity between shop and online store. This was constraining the business in terms of stock management, especially limiting what could be sold online.

Plans for expansion included developing the online channel, with greater integration with store-based business. Nic Ramsey had spent 2 years researching the software market and was on the verge of committing to another product when she met Steve Waller, co-founder and MD of LOIS Systems.

Continues Nic: “LOIS had been developed by Steve Waller for his own fashion business, and for the small chain of shops that I aspire to have. I found the system very understandable and easy to use. It’s also scalable, and will work for one, two or more shops as I develop the She Said brand. I was impressed with the software and with Steve. I also knew that a number of other local businesses I respect had taken LOIS. I’d watched them grow and was reassured.”

When it came to recommending point-of-sale hardware, LOIS Systems turned to their preferred partner, J2 Retail Systems. Explains Steve Waller: “The She Said environment is small and intimate. I knew the J2 tills would be ideal in a setting that relies on atmosphere. Being fanless, the J2 580s are completely quiet. As they can also be bracket-fitted, they free up the entire counter space.”

Nic Ramsey concurs with Steve Waller’s assessment: “We went for the integrated J2 tills, which are quite a neat system. The machines are discrete and take up very little room. We’ve merchandised round them so they look at home, fitting in as if they’d always been there.”

She Said is now starting to enjoy the hoped-for integration of the web site and store sales. “Thanks to our new system, we’ve been able to look at our web site with fresh eyes and a different approach. It can now be a growing part of our business model, essential for survival in the current climate.”

The system is also improving stock management and facilitating some crossover stockholding with a sister business, located nearby. “The system allows us to carry slightly less stock overall and to share stock.”

Nic Ramsey now feels that the She Said business is equipped to expand and to remain competitive in the current climate. “We’re seeing a shift in how people are responding to the adult industry. Buyers are now more likely to be women, and they’re discerning about how and what they want to buy. Our growth is being driven by responding to what customers want.”

Styling itself as an upmarket, lifestyle business, She Said sells high-quality lingerie and boudoir-wear from designers such as Elle Macpherson, couture suppliers such as La Perla, and bespoke ranges created for She Said. The company is the largest stockist of corsetry in the South. Erotica, sex toys and books are also on sale.

The She Said business has been featured on Channel 4, BBC and Sky television. Accolades have been received in magazines such as Elle, Vogue and Cosmopolitan, and in The Times, Metro, The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. She Said recently made it to The Times '50 Best Boutiques' listing and was named the paper’s 'Boutique of The Week' in August 2008.


LOIS SYSTEMS - www.lois-systems.co.uk

Specialist retail solutions provider, LOIS Systems, conceived its software and services from the shop floor upwards. The company’s origins are in fashion retail and it was for the requirements of Little London Boutique that development first took place. Unable to source an appropriate system off-the-shelf, LOIS created one that is simple to use and rich in functionality.

LOIS keeps up with new trends and efficiencies in both IT and retail and, today, new retailer partners are using the LOIS system and helping the company to broaden its scope. The result is a one-stop solution that is agile enough for single stores and comprehensive enough for the largest multi-store enterprises.

Logical processes flow in conjunction with normal retail functions. Their pivot is a single, integrated stock management system, which enables retailers to manage product across stores, mail order and the internet in real-time. This universal, multi-channel approach minimises stockholding and maximises efficiency.