ERP Systems for Shoe Retail: The Comprehensive Comparison 2026
BITS, HIS, ETOS APOLLON, IPOS, prohandel, Sontec, advarics, JTL-Wawi and DezemberHub: nine systems, factually classified by target group, architecture, strengths and pricing model.
Transparency upfront
This comparison comes from DezemberHub. We offer an inventory management system for shoe and fashion retail ourselves and are therefore one of the nine providers compared. We classify the other systems to the best of our knowledge based on publicly accessible sources (as of June 2026). All brands mentioned belong to their respective owners; there are no business relationships with the providers mentioned.
An ERP system for shoe retail manages stock, purchasing, and sales across sizes, widths, seasons, and stores, usually with an integrated POS and ECC data connection. In 2026, the market is in motion: acquisitions, new pricing structures, and the shift toward the cloud are changing the options available. This overview places nine systems side by side, from long-established industry specialists to general-purpose e-commerce systems.
The short version
- Industry specialists with sizes and seasons according to the vendors: BITS, HIS, ETOS APOLLON, IPOS, prohandel, Sontec, advarics.
- Cloud-first and device-independent: IPOS, advarics, DezemberHub.
- Generalist and strong in e-commerce: JTL-Wawi.
- Publicly available prices: JTL-Wawi, advarics (according to the vendor from €149.50 per month) and DezemberHub. The other providers state terms on request.
- Five of the nine systems now belong to two software groups (Brandt and TSS). Sontec, JTL and DezemberHub are independent.
The nine systems in detail
1. BITS (Brandt Software-Produkte)
BITS comes from Brandt Software-Produkte GmbH from Aschaffenburg, founded in 1983, and according to the provider has been on the market for over 30 years. According to the provider, it targets the fashion shoe and sports specialist retail sector, from the specialist store to the multi-branch operator. The system is widespread as a local installation; a cloud offering for BITS could not be found on the provider website (as of July 2026). With a POS module (sales capture), purchasing planning, stocktaking and modules such as Teamsport, according to the provider it covers many areas of everyday industry work. According to the provider, over 460 customers with around 1,200 sales locations use BITS. Online shops are connected via XML and web service interfaces. Licensing via ongoing usage fees; a public price list could not be found, terms on request.
DezemberHub's BITS alternative in detail →2. HIS (Ariston Informatik)
HIS::WIN from Ariston Informatik (since 1986, part of the Brandt Retail group since 2017) specialises in size-based, fashion retail: shoes, textiles, sport, leather goods. The size-colour matrix is at the core of the system. Architecturally there is both: local installation in the Windows network or the browser-based variant HIS::ASP from the Ariston data centre. According to the provider, over 670 companies use HIS::WIN, plus more than 1,400 installed HIS::POS terminals. According to the provider, HIS brings its own marketplace integrations, including Amazon, eBay, schuhe.de and schuhe24.de. Prices are not public, terms on request.
DezemberHub's HIS alternative in detail →3. ETOS APOLLON
APOLLON by ETOS GmbH from Bergkamen (founded 1997) is an ERP system built exclusively for shoe retail: size runs, widths, NOS items, seasonal goods, and ECC data exchange are at its core. According to the vendor, more than 230 shoe retailers use APOLLON. A distinctive feature is the native connection to the ECC's ERIX product database with several hundred thousand shoe items. APOLLON is widely deployed as a traditional installation; cloud features are being expanded according to the vendor. Since January 1, 2026, ETOS has been part of the Brandt Retail Group. Pricing on request. (Source: schuhkurier)
DezemberHub's ETOS alternative in detail →4. IPOS (EBG-Data)
IPOS by EBG-Data GmbH from Neuss (since 1988) is a cloud-based ERP system with integrated POS for shoe, sports, and toy retail. The current generation, IPOS online, runs in the browser without a local server, and the POS is TSE- and DSFinV-K-compliant. According to the vendor, around 1,200 active customers in nine European countries use the system. IPOS is deeply embedded in the industry ecosystem (schuhe.de, Zalando Connected Retail, sport2000.de, SABU.de, ECC); native connections to general marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or OTTO were not identifiable as of June 2026. Billing via a monthly fee with no upfront costs; no public price list is available. In June 2026, the ANWR Group sold EBG-Data to the TSS software group. (Source: schuhkurier)
DezemberHub's IPOS alternative in detail →5. prohandel
prohandel GmbH from Bielefeld (founded 1998, part of the software group Total Specific Solutions since 2017) develops, by its own description, an ERP exclusively for fashion retail, including shoes and sporting goods. According to the provider, this includes POS systems, a mobile app for stocktaking and branch processes as well as EDI and NOS functions. According to the provider, the target group is boutiques, branch operators and larger single stores. A public price list could not be found, terms on request.
DezemberHub's prohandel alternative in detail →6. Sontec
Sontec Systemhaus GmbH from Körborn in Rhineland-Palatinate has been developing an ERP system with POS software for shoe and textile retail since 1992, from single stores to multi-location operations. The system is installed locally; the vendor explicitly advertises that all data stays on-premises and no cloud is used. Functionally it covers everyday retail operations: stock replenishment, goods receipt, labeling, MDE-assisted stocktaking, stock equalization, automatic stock distribution between stores, and size grids with size equalization. Master data is imported automatically via the ECC connection, and there are interfaces for EDI, the SABU online portal, DHL shipping, online shop import, and financial accounting. Native connections to marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or Zalando were not identifiable as of June 2026. No public price list is available, pricing on request.
DezemberHub's Sontec alternative in detail →7. advarics
According to the vendor, advarics by advarics GmbH from Innsbruck is a cloud-native inventory management system with POS for lifestyle retail: sports, fashion, shoes and accessories. According to the vendor, it runs as a web app in the browser, without a local server. The modules are called advarics.retail (inventory management) and advarics.pos (POS, according to the vendor also usable offline). According to the vendor, billing is a monthly software subscription with no minimum term, from €149.50 (advarics.easy) or from €439.30 per month (advarics.advanced) plus VAT, advarics.enterprise individually, implementation not included.
DezemberHub's advarics alternative in detail →8. JTL-Wawi
JTL-Wawi from JTL-Software GmbH (since 2008, over 50,000 customers according to the provider) is the only generalist system in this comparison: built for e-commerce retailers of all industries, with variant management that is also used in the fashion and shoe segment. According to the provider, it runs as a Windows application with an SQL database (local installation). According to the provider, marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, OTTO and Kaufland are connected via the paid module eazyAuction; a native Zalando or About You integration could not be found in the public provider documents as of June 2026. The prices are public: JTL Start free, Advanced 99 EUR and Pro 329 EUR per month (as of June 2026), eazyAuction is added according to order volume. Industry-specific functions of shoe retail such as ECC clearing or widths could not be found there as of June 2026.
DezemberHub's JTL-Wawi alternative in detail →9. DezemberHub (our own system)
DezemberHub is a modern inventory management system with POS for shoe, fashion and sports retail. The guiding principle: the software adapts to your store. A size matrix with widths, seasons and ECC purchasing are part of the core. The POS is TSE and DSFinV-K compliant and keeps processing sales even without internet. On top come shipping, reporting with DATEV export and an AI assistant that is included in the base price. The optional online module connects more than 50 marketplaces and channels and is billed purely based on usage. Without online sales, there are no additional costs.
The pricing model is public: from a €50 base fee per month plus €50 per simultaneously running POS terminal, cancellable monthly, with no setup costs. Store revenue plays no role. Running it in parallel with the existing system is possible for testing, a system switch that does not feel like one.
The comparison table
Swipe to see all columns
| System | Industry focus | Architecture | Pricing model | Group / Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BITS | Shoes, sports | Local installation | On request | Brandt Retail Group |
| HIS | Shoes, textiles, sports | Local installation or cloud (HIS::ASP) | On request | Brandt Retail Group (since 2017) |
| ETOS APOLLON | Shoes | Local installation; cloud being expanded according to the provider | On request | Brandt Retail Group (since 01/2026) |
| IPOS | Shoes, sports, toys | Cloud (IPOS online) | Monthly, on request | TSS (since 06/2026) |
| prohandel | Fashion, shoes, sports | Provider information is decisive | On request | TSS (since 2017) |
| Sontec | Shoes, textiles | Local installation | On request | Independent |
| advarics | Lifestyle: fashion, sports, shoes | Cloud (web app), POS offline-capable according to the vendor | Software subscription, according to the vendor from €149.50 per month plus VAT | advarics GmbH |
| JTL-Wawi | E-commerce, cross-industry | Local installation (Windows) | Public: 0 to 329 EUR/month plus modules | JTL-Software GmbH |
| DezemberHub | Shoes, fashion, sports | Cloud, local data storage on request, offline-capable POS | Public, cancel monthly, online module usage-based | Independent |
Which system suits whom?
- BITS: For shoe and sports specialist retailers with several branches who are looking for a comprehensive, classically locally installed complete system with a long industry history.
- HIS: For size-focused retailers from single stores to large chains who want to choose between local installation and a hosted option.
- ETOS APOLLON: For pure shoe retailers who want maximum industry depth and access to the ECC's ERIX product database.
- IPOS: For specialty retailers in the ANWR environment looking for a cloud-based industry ERP with close ties to schuhe.de and Zalando Connected Retail.
- prohandel: For fashion retailers from boutiques to larger independents who want an established fashion ERP with POS systems and a mobile app.
- Sontec: For shoe and textile retailers who prefer a lean, locally installed industry ERP and want to keep all their data entirely on-premises.
- advarics: For lifestyle retailers who want to work in the cloud; according to the vendor, without a local server and device-independent.
- JTL-Wawi: For online-driven retailers who prefer a generalist, widely used e-commerce system with a large partner network.
- DezemberHub: For shoe, fashion and sports retailers who want inventory management and POS from a single source, with public prices, monthly cancellation and the option to test in parallel with the existing system.
Is a POS system enough, or does a shoe store need an ERP system?
For a single store with a manageable assortment, a POS system with inventory functions can be sufficient. As soon as pre-orders, an ECC connection and the management of multiple branches come into play, there is hardly any way around a full ERP system. Alongside the nine ERP systems compared here, there is therefore a second product category: POS-centered industry solutions such as FashionLager, CASHTEX or LaCash Schuh & Textil, as well as generalist cloud POS systems such as Tillhub, ready2order or PosBill (as of July 2026). The difference lies in the scope: a POS with inventory functions covers sales, stock and end-of-day closing, while a full ERP system additionally manages the processes before and after, from pre-orders through ECC master data to branch management. Which of these functions an individual POS product includes varies from system to system; the information provided by the respective vendor is authoritative. This comparison deliberately covers only full ERP systems.
ERP systems for shoe wholesale and manufacturers: a different playing field
Anyone searching for shoe retail software also comes across systems for a different segment: prodress, itsperfect and COSYS are aimed, by their own account, at wholesalers, brands and manufacturers (as of July 2026). There, the focus is on collection development, B2B ordering and warehouse logistics instead of POS, sales floor and end customers. Such systems are no substitute for a retail ERP system with POS, and vice versa. Our comparison therefore deliberately covers only brick-and-mortar shoe retail.
Conclusion
There is no single best system, only the right one for your situation. Three questions help narrow it down: How important is industry depth (sizes, widths, ECC) versus generalist breadth? Do you want to install locally or work in the cloud? How much pricing transparency and contractual flexibility do you need? Get two or three demos and compare using your own items and processes.
If a vendor change is on the horizon, it is worth looking at how a switch can actually work. How switching to DezemberHub works. Anyone who wants to evaluate DezemberHub in detail should take a look at the Pricing in detail or test the system free for 30 days without payment details. No automatic renewal.