LONDON, September 24 /PRNewswire/ -- A new White Paper, entitled 'The challenge of PCI compliance for multi-channel retailers' by fashion business systems provider, Prologic http://www.prologic.com highlights the dangers of taking an un-integrated, quick-fix approach to PCI compliance. The White Paper http://tr.im/zlmF provides a step-by-step guide to PCI compliance for fashion retailers who are looking to achieve low-cost PCI compliance without compromising the increasingly important multi-channel business world.

PCI compliance for fashion retailers is essential as failure to comply with PCI standards exposes a retailer to two types of liability:

    
    - The contract with the card issuer provides for substantial penalties
    and, more significantly,

    - Retailers are subject to "charge-back" liability for damages suffered
    by the card issuer as a result of a data breach.

These losses sustained by card issuers include not only the fraudulent charges made on the accounts of the victims of identity theft, but also the administrative costs associated with the issuance of new cards to customers whose personal information may have been compromised. As a result, these costs can be significant. Add in the damage to reputation associated with the loss of customer card details, and the importance of PCI compliance becomes clear.

Commenting on the options available to mid-sized retailers looking to ensure PCI compliance, Sam Jackson, chief executive of Prologic says, "One route is to buy pre-packaged payments systems, such as handheld Chip & PIN devices and off-the-shelf web payment gateways, that are already compliant. However, whilst this simplifies the compliance process it can also constrain the business. Many retailers have worked hard to achieve an integrated multi-channel business model. Therefore, adopting these simple, separate payment systems can be a retrograde step which takes retailers back to a less integrated business model, or prevents them moving toward one."

Jackson continues, "The best strategy to ensure PCI compliance for multi-channel retailers is to work with a vendor that has integrated multi-channel solutions and has already embarked upon a Level 1 PCI compliance process for the entire end-to-end suite. With this approach, the onus is on the vendor to ascertain the underlying software, hardware and wide area network components required to gain and maintain PCI compliance. This model not only ensures that retailers retain the benefits of an integrated multi-channel strategy but also have a fast track, low cost route to PCI compliance, not just today but for the future where an integrated approach to multi-channel trading will become ever more important."

The Prologic White Paper, 'The Challenge of PCI compliance for multi-channel retailers' provides practical advice and guidance to retailers looking to adhere to the latest PCI standards and covers a number of key issues including: the different levels of PCI compliance, the six major categories within the PCI framework, within these six categories the 12 requirements that address particular technical issues and web application security, the limitations of pre-accredited PCI solutions and the benefits of an integrated PCI approach.

Jackson continues, "PCI compliance for fashion retailers is not a one-off issue; it requires an annual audit or self-assessment. Indeed, the payment card industry is in an endless arms race with the hackers and fraudsters. As the criminals get ever more sophisticated, PCI and retailers have to up the ante and implement ever more sophisticated security standards. So opting to retrench today by casting out all the benefits that integrated technology can bring in terms of efficiency and improved customer service may solve the immediate PCI problem. But it is a short term fix that will be at the expense of future business efficiency and customer satisfaction."

Jackson concludes, "Fashion businesses are moving ever more deeply into integrated multi-channel retailing. Those who have adopted ad-hoc systems to get round short term PCI problems will sooner or later need to reintegrate their systems to compete with the market leaders. The best of both worlds is low cost PCI compliance for fashion retailers without compromising the increasingly important multi-channel business model." The White Paper, 'The Challenge of PCI compliance for multi-channel retailers' is available free of charge. Business managers and directors can download a copy of the White Paper from http://tr.im/zlmm

About Prologic

Stock market-listed, Prologic is a specialist provider of software, services and consultancy to the fashion & lifestyle sector. The company's enterprise software application, CIMS, is a web-deployed, single solution, multi-channel business system designed to meet the complex needs of the sector. Modules include planning, merchandising, store systems, sourcing, warehousing, wholesale, franchise, eCommerce and reporting.

Prologic's approach of delivering its software as a single version, single database product, based on continuous customer-driven improvement, provides distinct advantages over the traditional practice of interfacing disparate point solutions.

With a track record extending over two decades, Prologic has supported the growth of many of the UK's best known and most successful brands. Customers include Aquascutum, Fat Face, Hobbs, Liberty, Paul Smith, Ted Baker, TM Lewin, White Stuff and many other high street names.

    
    For further information, please contact:

    Will Gardiner       Manuela Spinnler
    itpr                Head of Marketing
    +44(0)1932-578800   Prologic plc
                        +44(0)1442-876277

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