StoreReport LLC

Background:

StoreReport, formerly sold as Bill Scott's Jobber Sys, Scott's Software System, and The Jobber, has been a trusted partner to the Oil Marketing and Convenience Store industry since 1978. Our original mission was to deliver software tailored to these unique businesses, utilizing "microcomputers"—the early predecessors of personal computers (PCs). By 1983, with the advent of the IBM PC, we quickly recognized the direction the industry was heading and transitioned to IBM's proprietary systems, primarily the IBM System/34.

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Why IBM? Reliability

We understood the limitations of open systems like PCs, which, due to their accessibility, could be easily exploited by hackers, plagued by viruses, and vulnerable to ransomware. These issues severely impacted reliability and security. While billions of dollars have been invested in mitigating these risks—protecting customer data, maintaining local networks, and patching vulnerabilities—the challenges persist. Introducing the Internet (and later the Cloud) into the equation amplified these concerns, with criminal activities like data breaches growing exponentially. Our early decision to prioritize proprietary, closed systems has proven to be a prescient move.

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A Shift to the Cloud

IBM’s proprietary hardware required a significant upfront investment—often exceeding $100,000—placing it out of reach for many small businesses. Recognizing this, on March 3, 2000, we began leasing our software on IBM proprietary hardware, accessible via the Internet. A decade later, this innovative approach was rebranded as "The Cloud."

The Cloud allows businesses to benefit from infrastructure where hardware, software, and data are housed in secure environments. Unlike traditional systems, the Cloud offers a level of protection that can be made nearly impervious to attacks. It limits vulnerabilities to the data temporarily traveling through the network, significantly reducing security risks.

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Our Transformation

After more than four decades of serving the industry, StoreReport LLC has evolved. Today, we are no longer just a provider of software and hardware—we’re a resource for knowledge and insights. Through our platform, we explore how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), alongside factors such as inflation, tariffs, employment challenges, self-checkout systems, and the rise of dark stores, are impacting retailers. Our mission is to empower businesses with the information they need to navigate today’s challenges and make informed decisions for the future.

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In a Virtual Consignment Arrangement

You pay for what you sell, not what you buy. A third party, in this case StoreReport LLC monitors your store 24/7, determines what you will sell during your next delivery cycle and using AI algorithms that have been tested and proven over the past 16 years, pays the invoice according to supplier contracts, and you pay only the cost of what you sell. For a small fee of 3 cents per/item sold, StoreReport does all of the bookkeeping, generates the orders, sends them to the suppliers, prices the inventory for maximum profits and pays the supplier for what was ordered.

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If an item doesn't sell, you pay nothing and StoreReport will provide you with a return label to send the item(s) back once we have determined we have exhausted all attempts to sell the products in your store(s). 

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Scan-Based Trading 

From Wikipedia: Scan-Based Trading is the process by which suppliers maintain ownership of inventory within retailers' warehouses or stores until items are scanned at the point of sale. Suppliers, such as manufacturers or farmers, own the product until it is purchased by the customer, with the store or venue then buying the product from the supplier and reselling it to the customer.  In a Scan-Based Trading arrangement, typically you agree to allow your supplier to transfer whatever he wants to your store (or warehouse), retains ownership and you suffer the carrying cost, including but not limited to:

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Storage Cost

Insurance Cost 

Property Tax associated with storage facilities and Inventory Value

Capital Cost

Handling Cost

Shrinkage

Loss of Opportunity

Theft

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The most interesting thing about Scan-Based Trading today, and most likely the reason it's  rarely talked about is it's very similar to the arrangement you have with you suppliers today regarding:

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Most suppliers put what they want in your stores causing a dangerous environment for your employees to work in, and rarely compensate you for the cost.

You bear the losses for shrinkage and theft.

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