Party time for Smiffy’s as it picks K3 Retail to help drive growth

This fast-growing company has big plans to grow even bigger and needs new systems to help it get there.

Didcot, July 29th 2010 – Smiffy’s, the UK market leader in party, leisure and entertainment products, has selected K3 Retail, the UK’s leading provider of retail solutions based on Microsoft technology, to supply and implement a retail system that will manage its entire business, using software and services from K3 Retail. 

Smiffy’s, currently a £35 million growing business,  supplies a range of independent retailers and is implementing the K3 Retail solution, as it required a single integrated platform that can be used by all its departments effectively.

Andy Walters, Head of IT, Smiffy’s, said, “As a growing business we’ve enjoyed huge year on year expansion, but as a result we’ve outgrown our current system.  We needed a new system which would be able to provide excellent services for the whole company and all the different departments that will be using the new system on a daily basis.  We are working with K3 Retail to ensure that the best possible system for our needs is implemented, as they are the experts in the retail area.”

Smiffy’s selected K3 Retail, as it can provide the business with an end to end solution for all its departments, including Product Development, Distribution and Finance.

“We started the process by speaking to the experts at K3 Retail, who talked us through the journey of selecting a system suitable for our needs, and they are currently evaluating our business so we can  establish between us the best system they have available for us.  We need a system which will grow with us as a company, and we will be developing the system as the business continues to expand,” said Walters.

Smiffy’s will be using K3 Retail’s Microsoft platform, including the Pebblestone Product Lifestyle Management and Product Data Management, the solution that K3 Retail has recently acquired.

John Little, Sales Director at K3 Retail, said, “K3 Retail will provide Smiffy’s with an end to end business solution that will offer a platform for growth and expansion into new markets.  It’s great that Smiffy’s has identified K3 Retail as the experts that will be able to offer the company a choice of platforms to drive its business.”

The system is scheduled to be live in early 2011.

About Smiffy’s
Smiffy's is the UK market leader in party, leisure and entertainment products with an ever increasing range to inspire serious fun!

Smiffy’s currently supply fantastic dress up costumes, wigs and accessories under both the ‘Smiffy’s’ and ‘Fever’ brands to over 5000 web and retail businesses worldwide and supply product to shops across the UK.

For the past 20 years Smiffy’s have grown steadily year on year and is now a £35million business with ambitious expansion plans to increase sales to £50million over the next three years.

Smiffy’s currently employ over 200 people all working hard to achieve the  vision to be the best, most liked and most trusted supplier in the market and the consumer brand of choice for fancy dress.
 
www.smiffys.com

About K3 Retail
K3 Retail deliver multi channel solutions that enables retailers to create joined up shopping experiences for their customers whether they choose to buy on-line, direct or in-store.
 
18 years experience delivering award winning solutions, to more than 100 internationally recognised retail brands, has helped our experienced team of retail consultants develop the most complete range of multi channel retail solutions available to Microsoft Dynamics AX or NAV users. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and member of Microsoft’s Partner Advisory Council for Retail, we offer a clearly defined roadmap and proven products backed up by Microsoft’s $2billion investment in the Dynamics platform.
 
Our ability to translate thought leadership and multi channel experience into innovation and effective retail solutions has benefited customers including: Agent Provocateur, American Golf, Beales Department Stores, Booths Supermarkets, Carpetright, Clinton Cards, Dobbies Garden Centres, Dreams, Gamestation, GameStop, Give, Jigsaw, Kiddicare, Ryman’s, Smyths Toys, SpaceNK and The White Company.
 
www.theretailpeople.com

Laura Grocott
PR Contact
Fieldworks
Tel: 01435 873080
laura@fieldworksmarketing.co.uk
www.fieldworksmarketing.co.uk