Newstore: Revolutionizing Mobile Commerce & Point of Sales solutions

In the rapidly evolving landscape of commerce, technological innovation has become a linchpin for success. Embracing modern, flexible, and interoperable technology solutions has become imperative. The MACH Alliance, standing for Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS, and Headless, represents a formidable force driving this transformation. Within this alliance, one partner stands out prominently: Newstore.

About Newstore

I had the pleasure of meeting the team from Newstore in September’s Ecommerce Expo where they walked me through the solution and demonstrated some of the capabilities of the product. And…I liked it.

Newstore is a Boston-based operation founded by Stephan Schambach (also founder of Demandware, acquired by Salesforce) in 2015 who are now gaining traction in Europe.

Newstore embodies the MACH Alliance principles; It’s a Composable SaaS platform built to seamlessly integrate to other key commerce systems such as your CRM and PIM*. Whats exciting though, is it crosses the boundary between online sales and in-store Point of Sale (PoS), putting some really good tools in the hands of the store associates**. In a world where customers seamlessly transition between online and offline shopping, delivering an integrated experience is paramount. Newstore excels in creating a unified omnichannel platform.

I would say they are at the forefront of mobile commerce, recognizing the undeniable shift of consumers towards mobile devices. The platform offers a mobile-first approach, where the solution is optimized for mobile devices, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user experience.

What it does

The core strength of this application is in the mobile interface used by store associates. It gives them the ability to approach a customer and assist them with a quiver of data that until now was not easily available to the associate. For example:

Unified Inventory Management: Newstore synchronizes inventory across channels, providing real-time visibility to the associates – for example is a product in stock at this store? If not, where is it available. They can then create an purchase order and delivery from another store.

Clienteling Capabilities: Newstore allows the associate to look up a registered customer, see previous purchases, understand their buying history and make suggestions on the spot – this is unique and gives customers some of the best aspects of online shopping in the physical stores.

Purchase completion: The app allows the associate to select items in store or add items for delivery to the customers address and take payment for the combined order on the spot. It has a great ‘tap to pay’ function. This immediacy significantly reduces the option for a customer to renege on a sale.

Improved product information: The app can also surface all of the data associated with a product. This might be ‘how to’ videos or more information about the source of the product (see my article on Provenance)

Loyalty Schemes: Obviously, the online nature of this app allows immediate access to existing loyalty schemes giving on the spot credits or rewards.

MACH Compliance

Is it true MACH? Yes, it is. Newstore embodies the principles of MACH:

Microservices Architecture: The Newstore platform is built using microservices, facilitating agility and scalability while allowing for independent development and deployment of various components.

API-First Approach: With a strong focus on API-first development, Newstore ensures seamless integration with various systems and applications, a hallmark of MACH compliance.

Cloud-Native Infrastructure: Leveraging the power of cloud infrastructure, Newstore provides a reliable and scalable solution, aligning with the cloud-native aspect of the MACH principles.

Headless: Newstore can be pulled into your existing front end, preserving your brand identity and ensuring a coherent interface for the users.

In summary

Newstore really bridges the gap between an online experience and the in-store world. It ties up the data between the two and provides the analytics to really monitor omni channel behaviour. Newstore's commitment to the MACH principles exemplifies its dedication to driving innovation and reshaping the future of commerce. By adhering to the MACH principles, Newstore offers businesses the ability to craft a PoS solution that is flexible, scalable, and tailored to their specific needs.

Newstore is definitely one to look out for.

*CRM – Customer Relationship Management, PIM – Product Information Management

**Store Associates – the people ‘on the ground’, in the store: store assistants, shop assistants, floorwalkers, personal shoppers