Case StudyEASON

Leading Irish book retailer improves customer experience with integrated multi-channel and ERP solution

Easons turns a page on effective retail management and the best possible customer experience

Eason replaced a number of disparate systems with comprehensive retail solution that includes To-Increase eCommerce with Multi-Channel Retail in integration with Microsoft Dynamics AX. The company has gained a unified technology platform on which it can continue its multi-channel retail growth.

Main benefits

  • Single, integrated solution for all retail channels
  • Greater ability to target customer segments across channels
  • Full view of customers
  • Optimized online customer experience with better search and accessibility
Eason
  • Number of employees: 500
  • Website: www.easons.com/
  • Country or region: Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland; active in Ireland and the U.K.
  • Industry: Retail — Books, reading devices, stationery
Software and Services
  • To-Increase eCommerce
  • Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
Customer Profile
Founded in 1819, Eason and Son is the leading Irish provider of books, newspapers, and magazines. The company is headquartered in Dublin and has more than 60 retail stores in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Since 1998, Easons.com is the organization’s online store.
Business Situation
Eason wanted to provide a better customer experience with more consistent service, and also aimed to replace several stand-alone systems with an integrated business management solution.
Solution
Eason implemented To-Increase eCommerce in integration with Microsoft Dynamics AX, and rolled out a new retail website based on To-Increase Webstore.

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“It was vital that the new website is fully integrated with our new in-store system. Because the To-Increase Multi-Channel Retail solution is built inside Dynamics AX, the integration is seamless. It gives us one view of the customer, and allows us to offer greater consistency in our service and lays the foundation for multi-channel retailing.”

John Maguire, Head of E-Commerce, Eason

Unified retail platform on Dynamics AX

With an exciting new look and feel, Eason’s newly launched website includes an updated product range, improved search functionality, and greater online accessibility, making it easier for customers to find what they look for. The implementation is part of Eason’s comprehensive strategy to improve its technology in support of its multi-channel operations. Eason is replacing a number of disparate systems with a single solution based on Microsoft Dynamics AX.

John Maguire, Head of E-Commerce at Eason, says, “With more and more people using computers, tablets, and mobile phones to purchase and read books, it’s vital for us to be able to offer the best possible online customer experience. The To-Increase solution allows us to do just that. The new website will allow us to focus on enhanced customer engagement, as we will now be able to better target content, promotions, and loyalty-based schemes, and integrate them seamlessly across the stores and website.”

The company had already been acknowledged for the quality of its e-commerce operation. It was honored twice at the 2012 Retail Excellence Ireland Awards, receiving prizes for Best Customer Experience and National Website of the Year. Says Maguire, “The new website is another significant step forward. It’s about being a true multi-channel and mobile business. To do that, we needed a single multi-channel system.”

Consistent, rewarding customer experience across the store chain and online

The website launch coincides with a roll-out of Microsoft Dynamics AX as the new ERP system, providing Eason with new point-of-sale functionality for its more than 60 stores as well as improved planning and purchasing, customer support, and warehousing at its Dublin headquarters. “It was vital that the new website is fully integrated with our new in-store system,” explains Maguire. “Because the To-Increase Multi-Channel Retail solution is built inside Dynamics AX, the integration is seamless. It gives us one view of the customer, and allows us to offer greater consistency in our service and lays the foundation for multi-channel retailing.”