Italian luxury footwear brand Aquazzura selects Cegid Retail to step-up digital transformation of its stores
11 January 2022, Mumbai:
Retail software vendor, Cegid, announced today that Aquazzura, the Italian luxury footwear brand, has selected the Cegid Retail unified commerce and point-of-sale platform to manage its stores in Italy and worldwide.
The retailer, which was founded in Florence in 2011 by a Colombian designer who grew up between Miami and London, has stores in Italy, France, the UK, Middle East and America.
To support the business as it continues to grow internationally, Aquazzura will arm sales associates with mobile devices to help customers find the most suitable products and benefit from technology that personalises service and ranges appropriate for each store, region and country.
As part of its digital transformation, stores will also add more omnichannel services such as “Click & Collect”, “Ship from Store”, Reserve” and “Return in-store”.
“In an increasingly dynamic market where luxury customers are more digitally connected and have high expectations, it’s crucial for luxury retailers to have relevant and personalised interactions with their customers at every touch point,” says Caterina Tsigara, Retail Director Aquazzura.
Pietro De Simone, IT Manager at Aquazzura, emphasises that luxury retailers in particular need to focus on brand loyalty and to make the shopping experience as personalised as possible.
Store staff are increasingly reliant on tools that offer services like in-store appointments, not to mention reliable stock information that allows staff to instantly reserve products and send them directly to the customer.
“We’ve had to adapt and undergo quite a lot of change, but thanks to Cegid Retail, we’ve been able to implement a truly omnichannel strategy and respond to today’s challenges,” said Simone.
The company said it chose Cegid because of its international credentials and expertise in luxury retail, as well as the need for regulatory and tax compliance for operating in different countries.
Aquazzura is available at over 300 luxury retailers in 58 countries and has own-brand boutiques in Florence, London, New York, Miami, Doha, Dubai, Milan, Rome, São Paulo, Capri and soon in Venice.
It preferred the flexibility of a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) cloud-based retail solution with the option of adding multiple features in the future. “Having a cloud system means we can save a lot on maintenance costs and have the peace of mind that the software is always up to date”,
concludes Simone.
“Technology is becoming increasingly important for retailers, at a time when omnichannel is no longer an option, but a necessity for luxury retailers. We are proud to support iconic brands such as Aquazzura speed up their digital transformation,” added Mario Davalli, Cegid’s Country Manager for
Southern Europe.
