With a new wireless broadband system connecting its stores to the Internet, Hat World Inc. has improved access to a central database used for personalizing products, enhanced in-store security systems, and rolled out to more stores a 9-fold increase in the speed of credit card transactions, says Larry Havlik, senior director of information technology and facilities.
Hat World is replacing its DSL Internet connections into its stores with a high-speed cellular network from wireless carrier Sprint Nextel Corp. at a cost of about $45 per store, compared to a range of $100 to $120 per store for DSL, Havlik says. He adds that Hat World may have to retain DSL in some stores located in areas not yet geared up for wireless signals.
The rollout of the wireless network, built on “evolution data optimized” or EVDO technology, coincides with Hat World’s deployment of FortiGate network security technology from Fortinet Inc. that support a secure virtual private network over the Internet. The new network, so far set up for about 350 of Hat World’s 850 stores, supports in-store credit transactions that now take about five seconds each, down from 45 seconds under old dial-up connections, Havlik says.
HatWorld had rolled out DSL Internet connections to about 150 stores before realizing it was too costly, Havlik says. In addition to higher monthly charges, DSL also required a dedicated technician to maintain it, he adds.
The new network also provides for stronger Internet connections to a central database Hat World uses to support in-store personalized embroidering of products. Store personnel take orders for customized hat logos from customers, then forward images of the logos over the web to a database that sends back an electronic stitch file that guides the in-store embroidery machine in producing the personalized product.
Hat World is also using FortiGate security technology over the virtual private network to operate in-store video surveillance.
The surveillance system monitors several check points, including the store entrance, product displays and the point-of-sale counter, where it captures images of each receipt. Hat World loss-prevention managers can monitor all of these images from a central web-accessed database and compare them to other data like time of day and the store personnel on duty at the time. Without the relatively low cost wireless Internet connections, Hat World would not be able to support as broad a security system, Havlik says.
“It would take several people with several phone lines to manage these security applications without the Internet set-up,” Havlik says. “We couldn’t support the same number of stores with as many security devices.”
Hat World, a subsidiary of Genesco Inc., also operates Lids.com, LidsCYO.com and HatWorld.com and is No. 342 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.
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