Cloud computing is amazingly flexible
and versatile computing model that can be customized in various ways to deploy
its functionality. Cloud computing has now started to make its presence felt in
almost all business sectors, especially in retail business. Cloud computing and
cloud software solutions are becoming integral parts of the functioning of
various retail stores. This can be regarded as one of the most vital paradigm
shift in the field of Information technology since the introduction of client -
server based technologies in early 1980s. The major reasons behind the growing
popularity of cloud software solutions are the agility & scalability that
cloud based solutions give to the business while reducing the related costs.
Also, if we analyze the current market
scenario, it becomes quite lucidly evident that retail industry is one of the
largest sectors in current economy. Retail industry has achieved significant
growth & development and is still progressing by leaps & bounds. Retail
industry is embracing cloud software solutions. There
are numerous IT companies that are offering retail solutions on cloud as it allows these retail giants to
manage the costs effectively and efficiently.
For example, a retail business corporation instead of purchasing the
rights for a particular software for all the systems where it is needed to be
used can opt for an alternative cloud software solution SAAS (Software as a
Service) which allows purchasing and using the software on requirement
basis. This implies, they need to pay for the amount of time they used the
particular software no matter on how many computer systems it was used.
Also, the retail solutions on cloud allow
a retail business house to share software units, infrastructure and data
through internet. This capability of cloud computing with which it shares
software and infrastructure is known as PAAS (Platform as a service). This feature can help the retail businesses
to save considerable amount of money. Moreover, it helps in channelizing
various aspects of business.
There are many other aspects in which
cloud computing can prove very effective in the field of retail business. Cloud computing certainly has a long term
future as far as the retail industry is concerned. There are plethora of ways
in which cloud computing can prove itself not only useful but quite efficient
in reducing significant amount of expenditures, thus in increasing the
profitability. You can certainly leverage any sort of investment that you make
in this imminent technology.