Success Stories : Speciality Retail - GTC

The right move for GTC

The General Trading Company (GTC) is among London's best known stores and is one of only seven companies to hold four Royal Warrants. Founded by Colonel Sir Sealtry Part as the General Trading and Equipment Company in 1920, the store has since undergone a change of name and two changes of address but continues to sell an impressive selection of gifts, antiques, furniture, homeware, jewellery and decorations.

The company recognised the need to upgrade to a more comprehensive and cost effective systems, which could integrate its different sales channels, including the store itself, mail order and the Internet, as well as produce more customer information.

The solution, developed by Futura, consists of 14 tills, running Windows NT based FuturaERS software and incorporating additional scanners, customers displays, till drawers and receipt printers. The hardware platforms, supplied by Box Technologies, are connected, via Ethernet, and are polled overnight by GTC Head Office.

"We were looking for a reliable and comprehensive solution that would cater for each area of our retail infrastructure, including PoS, stock control, ordering, replenishment, goods-in etc." explained GTC's Systems Administrator, Leo Donnelly. "The main attraction of Futura was the advantage of having a totally integrated retail package running on a single platform".