Earning More: An Investigation into Jobs That Really Pay Off and Retail-Specific Software

Who is Jean-Louis Mochamps? A clear-sighted retailer who knows his numbers and believes in the virtues of technology. He carries no stock, but relies on talented sales staff and in-house software.

He drives an MG, knows how to count, and according to Capital, "has a knack to spots out good deals."

Capital, the famous show on the French channel M6, recently aired a long report on Jean-Louis Mochamps—the retailer who "spots good deals" before anyone else, according to host Julien Courbet. A Strasbourgeois by adoption, he knows how to make stores profitable. He carries no inventory and offers a distinctive in-store experience. He optimizes performance through proprietary software so effective and essential that he has turned it into a business in its own right.

To succeed in franchising, there is one golden rule: knowing how to spot good deals before others do

In Alsace, one man has clearly mastered this. At 48, Jean-Louis Mochamps, a former executive for a major clothing group, now heads a network of about ten storefronts. These franchises are valued at nearly 4 million euros, primarily consisting of ready-to-wear brands located throughout the Alsace region. Take, for example, this concept store south of Strasbourg: what is most incredible is that in today’s strained clothing market, this business leader is unaffected by the crisis.

His secret weapon: he doesn't spend a single euro to acquire his merchandise. The stock doesn't belong to him. This inventory, worth 300,000 euros, actually belongs to his franchisor.

The Beaumanoir Group—a French textile giant owning brands like Morgan, Caroll, La Halle, and Jennyfer—specializes in acquiring struggling labels and relaunching them through its network of franchisees. This solid ally allows Jean-Louis to run his stores with minimal risk. "We rely on them to benefit from their expertise. They know which products sell well and which ones don't. In fact, when you join a group like Beaumanoir, it’s because you’re also looking for their retail expertise. We don't want to reinvent the wheel. It’s already been invented; we just want to use it now."

In addition to not paying for the clothes, the businessman doesn't need to manage the inventory. The franchisor is informed in real-time of sales and shelf shortages. As a result, stores are replenished daily directly by the franchisor, who handles everything.

The customer came to buy one dress, she ended up buying five

A demonstration follows with a customer who came in for a dress—the "little black dress" every wardrobe needs. She looks good. Very good. But she's hesitating between several items. A decision must be made. Julie, the store manager, pulls out a smart scanner provided by the group. It knows everything about its customers. A 15-euro discount for every 60 euros spent. "Our brands send truly personalized promotions to each customer based on their buying habits. Right now, there's an offer at Cache Cache she can use. She had a birthday offer at Bonobo. She has two at Cache Cache. The idea is to choose the most advantageous promotion based on her purchases today," Julie explains. It’s a formidable tool that seems to work well. "I came for one dress; I’m leaving with three dresses and a pair of shoes. Are you aware of that?" the customer confirms.

Forget Excel

The reason this entrepreneur remains profitable is that he developed a software tool tailored to his industry, allowing him to manage everything that matters in his stores: HR scheduling, leases, maintenance tracking, visitor conversion rates, and daily point-of-sale profitability.

He is thus able to make better forecasts and adapt to different commercial realities depending on the specific zones and Retail Parks where he is located. This SaaS tool is called ArcaneMag. In the world of retail and franchising, names like Orisha, Cegid, Skello, Lightspeed, and Vusion are common; now, ArcaneMag is the one to watch. Without raising any funds, it has satisfied 100% of its 600 points of sale installed in France. In the North, the holding company Cook, led by the two Mulliez sisters, owns over 40 points of sale in Paris, Lille, Le Touquet, etc. They manage their schedules, conversion rates, and staffing needs using ArcaneMag.

Jean-Louis Mochamps was a speaker at the first two editions of the New Biz Forum, organized by En-Contact. The 3rd edition of the NBF will be held in June 2026.

Text excerpts partially adapted from the audio portion of the broadcast. © C-Productions M6