Manhattan Associates, Inc. announced its pivotal involvement in Asda's recently launched toyou service, a 'game changing' order collection and return service for consumers that puts Asda at the forefront of innovation in global retailing. Manhattan has worked alongside Asda to provide Walmart's UK subsidiary with the technology and services that power this first-of-its-kind fulfillment and service capability. Consumers can now collect and return online orders of specific Asda goods as well as online orders placed with third parties.

This is a key component of Asda's growth strategy that opens a new channel for major online retailers. They can now tap into Asda's delivery network and have a brand presence in Asda's physical locations versus just online. The game-changing service lets shoppers pick up and return online orders of George clothing and non-Asda brands, including online fashion retailers such as Missguided, at any of Asda's 614 locations.

Asda believes toyou could lead to 40 million extra customer visits a year to its stores by 2019. Manhattan Associates first partnered with Asda in 2011 and has since worked closely with the company to deliver the innovative solution platform that is the engine behind toyou. Manhattan solution components deployed to support Asda's new service include its Distributed Order Management (DOM), Warehouse Management (WMS), Supply Chain Convergence and Supply Chain Intelligence solutions, all of which are seamlessly integrated with Asda's other enterprise systems. In addition to orchestrating the complex fulfillment and return processes behind toyou, the Manhattan technology deployment is delivering other distinctive capabilities.

The science and algorithms behind the Manhattan technologies optimize Asda's parcel delivery, allowing orders to be fulfilled via the most optimal route – to balance service and profitability goals – as opposed to assigning to pre-determined routes used by other delivery service providers.