WHSmith says NetSuite SuiteCommerce is a 'win-win' for retailer and its franchises

WHSmith launches a new cloud-based B2B online commerce system on SuiteCommerce

UK retail chain WHSmith has launched a new cloud-based B2B online commerce system on NetSuite SuiteCommerce, which it has labelled a "win-win".

The commerce system will enable WHSmith's franchise partners and wholesale partners across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia to make purchases, manage payments, review order history and account details, and request refunds and returns from an online environment.

The retailer, which is commonly found in UK airports and train stations as well as high streets, has also eliminated manual processes such as faxing and emailing orders.

"To meet the needs of our customers we needed to develop a world-class business-to-business commerce capability," said David McGrath, head of shared IT services at WHSmith.

"NetSuite SuiteCommerce offers an ideal combination of rapid time to market and rich functionality that will help us support the growth of our franchise and wholesale business," he added.

Systems integrator Accenture helped integrate SuiteCommerce with WHSmith's on-premise system, and McGrath suggested that the choice of Netsuite was a "win-win" for the company overall.

"It's a win-win for both WHSmith and our franchise partners that will streamline operations, help us future-proof our business and open the door to strategic opportunities for continued growth," he said.

WHSmith, which operates 1,300 stores across the world, will hope that NetSuite's product provides both flexibility and agility. NetSuite claimed that the system will be integrated with back-end operational systems, including order and inventory management, marketing, customer support and financials.

The US-based technology company said that more than 24,000 companies and subsidiaries depend on NetSuite to run complex, mission-critical business processes globally in the cloud. It counts TGI Fridays and American Express Global Business Travel among its customers.

Earlier this year, TGI Fridays CIO said that selecting NetSuite was a "tremendous opportunity to update [its] IT strategy".