Our Product Pick

Bematech (Bethpage, NY) has debuted its SB1015 All-in-One POS. In form factor of 14.3 in. (W) x 12.8 in. (H) x 9 in. (D) and 13 lbs., the SB1015 has true-flat, bezel-free design. It furnishes Intel Celeron J1900 Quad-Core CPU at 2.0 GHz, 8-GB Memory, and SATA HDD. A five-wire resistive 15" touchscreen is standard, with optional projected capacitive (PCAP). A full suite of ports includes USB 2.0 x 5, USB 3.0 x 1, Serial RS-232 x 3, Ethernet RJ-45 x 1, Video x 1, and Audio x 1. "It delivers an economical solution while providing excellent performance and reliability," according to the company, which also cited "solid base with extra wide hinge for maximum stability" and "quick and professional mounting of integrated MSR and VFD/LCD."

Bematech SB1015 POS

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Whale-Sized Walmart Pay

Well this changes things. In making its announcement of Walmart Pay, the behemoth has distanced itself from previous commitments (to MCX, most significantly), leveraged its existing Mobile App (with 22 million users), and furthered its push into omni-channel retail (take that, Amazon!). It will be introduced in stores in the home city of Bentonville, AR, with nationwide launch in the U.S. to be completed by the first half of 2016, encompassing approximately 5,000 locations.

"The simplicity and ease of Walmart Pay comes not only from how it works, but also in how it's been built," suggested Daniel Eckert, SVP of Services for Walmart U.S. "We made a strategic decision to design Walmart Pay to work with almost any smartphone and accept almost any payment type--even allowing for the integration of other mobile wallets in the future. The result is an innovation that will make the ease of mobile payments a reality for millions of Americans."

Okay, both iOS and Android, vaulting Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay. As its core technology, rather than 'tap-to-pay" NFC, however, Walmart Pay utilizes QR Codes. (Good news for 2D!) After opening the Walmart Mobile App, and choosing Walmart Pay, the customer presents his or her smartphone screen for scanning. An e-receipt will be sent. All in all, an indication that the ownership of mobile payments could well shift to the retailers with enormous bases of enrolled participants in proprietary Mobile Apps. Bad news for players in the financial sector, such as Chase Pay and PayPal/Paydiant.

Walmart Launches Its Proprietary Mobile Payment Scheme

It's Official: Global Takes Heartland

One area in which scale comes very much to play would be payment processing and so consolidation continues. As this week's example: Global Payments (Atlanta, GA) has just purchased rival Heartland Payment Systems (Princeton, NJ) for $4.3 billion. Somewhat ironic, given that Heartland has made great waves in the POS channel by acquiring prominent ISVs--and access to their reseller networks--including Digital Dining, Dinerware, LiquorPOS, pcAmerica, and Xpient. In making its announcement, Global Payments emphasized Heartland's strength in the restaurant and education vertical markets, as well as its capabilities in POS, payroll, loyalty, and gift. All hail integrated payments!

"This partnership with Heartland marks a major milestone for our company, significantly enhancing our direct presence in our largest market [the U.S.] and transforming Global Payments into the leading provider of integrated payment technology solutions in the world," proclaimed Jeffrey Sloan, CEO of Global Payments. "The combination of strong businesses and cultures in high-growth markets will generate exceptional opportunities for our employees, customers, partners, and shareholders." A combined company will provide solutions to nearly 2.5 million merchants worldwide, according to Global Payments, with over $3 billion of adjusted net revenue.

"The combination of Global Payments and Heartland will be transformative for the worldwide payments industry," concurred Robert Carr, Chairman and CEO of Heartland. "Under Jeff's leadership, I believe the combination of our companies will become the most valuable payments company on the planet. In the U.S., Heartland will continue to operate under its brand and under its business model of fair dealing--with the Merchant Bill of Rights and the Sales Professional Bill of Rights."

Jeffrey Sloan, CEO, Global Payments

Worth Your While

NRF's Big Show - Annual Conference
National Retail Federation
January 17-20
New York City

Inspire 2016
Retail Solutions Providers Association
Jan. 31 - Feb. 3
San Diego

NGA Show 2016
National Grocers Association
Feb. 28 - March 2
Las Vegas

Transact 16
Electronic Transactions Association
April 19-21
Las Vegas

WERC 2016
Warehousing Education and Research Council
May 15-18
Providence, RI

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Zebra Cruises With VC80

Zebra Technologies Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) has unwrapped its VC80 Vehicle Mount Mobile Computer with full support of Windows (Embedded Standard 7, Professional 7, and Windows 10-Ready). Weighing 8.6 lbs., with 10" resistive touchscreen, the VC80 offers choice of Intel E3825 Dual-Core CPU at 1.33 GHz with 2-GB RAM or Intel E3845 Quad-Core CPU at 1.91 GHz with 4-GB RAM. It carries six direct and six soft programmable keys, Bluetooth, and 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi.

Described as "ultra-rugged," the VC80 meets IP-66 ratings, MIL-STD-810G specifications, and operating temperature range of -22 to 122 degrees F. A system of smart temperature sensors control heaters for protection against internal and external condensation, with heated touchscreen. It offers multiple mounting options, including standard RAM, with 10 second quick release mechanism. A pair of 400- or 1,000-NIT screens allow indoor or outdoor use, respectively.

A field-replaceable touchscreen and keypad facilitate service. It may be easily paired with Zebra's LS3478 or DS3578 handheld scanners or Zebra's RS507 ring-style cordless scanner. "With the new VC80, Zebra Technologies is reinforcing its commitment to provide the mobile technology necessary to help businesses and their employees work more efficiently," remarked Joe White, VP of Enterprise Mobile Computing for Zebra Technologies. He cited "the most rugged environments, coldest supply chains, and brightest surroundings."

Zebra's VC80 Vehicle Mount Computer

Janam Puts Extra Muscle in XM70

Janam Technologies (Woodbury, NY) has unveiled its new XM70 Rugged Mobile Computer. With the same form-factor as the firm's popular XM66, the XM70 bumps up processing power (ARM Cortex A8 CPU at 1.0 GHz) and DDR Memory (1-GB SDRAM/4-GB NAND). Further, it supports both Android and Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5. Customers may reuse existing peripherals and batteries of the XM66.

Measuring 5.8 in. (L) x 3.1 in. (W) x 1.2 in. (D), and weighing under 10 oz., the XM70 furnishes 3.5" color TFT QVGA display, one- and two dimensional scanning (with the Zebra SE4500), removable 2400- and 4000-mAh Li-Ion batteries, and Micro-SD. It has USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0, and 802.11a/b/g/n. For water and dust, it meets IP-54; for durability, it withstands repeated 4 ft./1.2 m drops to concrete. Alerts are vibration, LED, and audio, with left, right, and center scan triggers.

"Hundreds of thousands of mobile workers are currently using Janam's XM66 to increase productivity and improve overall business operations," noted Harry Lerner, CEO of Janam. "No other device in its class offers the same level of proven reliability. The new XM70 leverages the flagship features of the XM66 while doubling the processing speed and power to provide an even more robust mobility solution."

Janam's XM70 Rugged Mobile Computer

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ALLIANCES

Mercury Runs at NCC

A pair of longstanding players in our channel, National Computer Corporation (Greenville, SC), the POS ISV, and Mercury/Vantiv (Durango, CO), the payment processor, have joined forces on EMV. This solution supports NCC's latest version of Reflection POS for Windows and can be used with the Verifone VX 805. "It provides substantial security value to help merchants reduce the risk of data compromise and card present fraudulent transactions," reflected Tom Reichart, VP of Business Development at Mercury/Vantiv.

With "out-of-scope" payment functionality, where sensitive card data doesn't touch the POS, this new solution utilizes both tokenization and end-to-end encryption. Both are required to protect customer data in transit, after use of fraudulent cards are presumably eliminated by the initial EMV. Also, it accepts payments with NFC, such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet.

"We are honored and excited to partner with Mercury in order to deliver this semi-integrated EMV processing solution," commented Chuck Prince, VP of Operations at NCC. "We are always looking for ways to increase the security of Reflection POS and Mercury has give us the opportunity to do just that." Earlier this year, in June, NCC introduced its first semi-integrated EMV solution with Ingenico (Alpharetta, GA) and Sterling Payment Technologies (Tampa, FL).

NCC's Reflection POS Adds EMV Capability From Mercury/Vantiv

NAB Gets the Poynt

An important new distribution partner for Poynt (Palo Alto, CA), in the form of North American Bancard (Troy, MI). As part of this recent agreement, Poynt also will process card transactions through NAB's Velocity Gateway. Founded in 2013 by CEO Osama Bedier, former VP of Wallets and Payments for Google and VP of Product Development for PayPal, Poynt began shipping in October. It received $28 million in Series B funding.

As its strategy, the company has offered the Poynt Smart Terminal, Poynt O/S, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and Software Development Kits (SDKs). The terminal fashions the necessary elements for front-counter checkout, including 7" touchscreen, 2" thermal receipt printer, 4.3" customer-facing PIN Pad, Quad-Core CPU, and Li-Ion battery--all in the swoopy molded casing. All payment types are accommodated: MSR, EMV, NFC, Bluetooth, and QR Code.

"By utilizing our NAB Velocity Gateway, Poynt provides our agents with the latest in contactless payments and point-of-sale technology, with a plug-and-play system designed with the needs of merchants in mind," relayed Yasser Abou-Nasr, SVP of Commerce Services for North American Bancard. "The partnership with Poynt offers merchants seamless integration and easy configuration." A Reseller Kit is offered by Poynt.

A New Distribution Partner for Poynt: North American Bancard

Code Corner

Beverage management ISV Bevinco (Toronto, Canada) has announced its new Bevinco Mobile App for iOS. With an extensive database of more than 30,000 liquor brands with the option to upload additional products, Bevinco Mobile allows for seamless counting and measuring of pours. A weigh scale, connected with Bluetooth, speeds the process. Utilizing this preferred weight method for tracking liquor, the Bevinco Mobile App allows users to track variances down to 1/30th of an ounce. It handles multiple users simultaneously, with information gathered on the cloud and collated into inventory reports. A free 30-day trial is offered. After the trial period, subscription-based pricing starts at $149 per month. "The mobile version of our state-of-the-art management software enables bar and restaurant operators to efficiently and accurately handle liquor inventory, down to the last drop," boasted Vanessa De Caria, COO of Sculpture Hospitality, the parent company of Bevinco. "Our goal is to eliminate hassle and equip owners with tools and in-depth data to improve their bottom line."

Bevinco Liquor Inventory System

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

A Portal to Funding at iPayment

An interesting entry for iPayment, Inc., which has enlisted CAN Capital to provide customers with working funds. Under this partnership, iPayment's customer portal has been integrated with the CAN Connect Platform and its Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Qualified customers may access the funds in as little as three business days, according to the two parties. Merchants may use this to open new locations, increase inventory, or purchase new equipment, for example.

"At iPayment, we are committed to providing our customers with fully integrated, all-encompassing payment services and value-added solutions to help them do what's most important--build, run, and grow successful businesses," declared Greg Cohen, President of iPayment. "Our partnership with CAN Capital is another example of our commitment to listening to market demand and delivering a streamlined solution for our SMB customers." At present, this numbers 150,000.

"For almost 18 years, CAN Capital has been leading the alternative small business finance industry, and to date we have provided access to over $5.5 billion in working capital," related Daniel DeMeo, CEO of CAN Capital. "With our long history in the space, we have amassed a great deal of data and experience to develop the technologies needed to provide merchants with fast access to funds, so they can spend more time running their business and less time searching for capital." Both iPayment and CAN Capital are based in New York City.

iPayment Enlists CAN Capital To Provide Working Funds for Partners

Clearent's New POSsibilities

An up-and-coming supplier of software and hardware, POSsible POS (Stafford, TX), has partnered with fast-growing payment processor, Clearent (Clayton, MO). A bundling approach to hospitality and retail, comprised of merchant processing and point-of-sale, will now be offered. In particular, POSsible POS promotes its "POS in a Box," which assembles hardware, pre-loaded software, and configuration under one SKU. Both POSsible POS and Clearent address the channel of VARs.

"We are very pleased to add Clearent to our list of validated payment processing partners," shared Manan Mehta, CEO of POSsible POS. "Integrating to Clearent's API was incredibly simple, and customers can now obtain unique benefits such as American Express OptBlue and next day funding with late cut-off time." Mehta started POSsible POS in 2011.

Elsewhere, Clearent released its WordPress plug-in for website developers. This allows easy installation of individual "pay now" buttons directly on their websites, maintaining existing style and design, according to Clearent. As such, it complements similar plug-ins for other popular e-commerce solutions. An accompanying incentive program rewards web developers for referring merchants, with recurring commission based on the merchant's annual transaction volume. Thus, "Clearent has essentially brought web developers on-board as partners."

One SKU Approach, With Card Processing, From POSsible POS

Key Advertiser Links

Be sure to visit these vendors for the latest in channel products and offers for resellers.

POS & Peripherals
AnywhereCommerce
Bematech
Elo Touch Solutions
Harbortouch
Hewlett-Packard
Partner Tech
Pioneer POS
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
PowaPOS
Shopify
TEAMSable

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Honeywell Scanning

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Datalogic
Honeywell Scanning

Integrated Payment Solutions
Cayan
Datacap Systems
Discover
iPayment Inc.
Mercury/Vantiv
Moneris
Shift4

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry, ZF Electronics Corp
PrehKeyTec

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo Touch Solutions

INSTALLATIONS

NCR Bites into Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts has served up its mobile rewards program powered by NCR Corporation (Duluth, GA). Consumers can use the Krispy Kreme Reward App to find and mark their favorite location, receive notifications of the Krispy Kreme "Hot Now" Light, and earn rewards. Krispy Kreme has been rolling out this solution across the country over the past few months, and expects to finish by the end of the year. It's about 300 sites.

A combination of the NCR Aloha POS and NCR Engage Mobile enables restaurant operators, like Krispy Kreme, to extend ordering, payment, loyalty, and feedback capabilities directly into the hands of consumers. They may download the Krispy Kreme Reward App from the Apple App Store or Google Play. A variety of ways to pay and earn points includes store-value functionality, cash, credit/debit card, or gift card.

"Restaurants that don't proactively embrace omni-channel consumer engagement may find themselves 'locked out' in an increasingly competitive battle for consumer mindshare," cautioned Paul Langenbahn, President of NCR Hospitality. "NCR understands the entire restaurant ecosystem, and we were happy to work with Krispy Kreme and help them deliver on their unique consumer engagement vision." Added Tony Thompson, Krispy Kreme's CEO and President: "It is critical for us to know our guests more personally."

Krispy Kreme Rewards Mobile App

Taking Stock in Savannah

Foxfire (Greenville, SC) will deploy its Warehouse Management Software for third-party logistics provider, Port City Logistics. To be installed in the 3PL's 1.6-million-square-foot hub facility in Savannah, GA, Foxfire WMS will track inventory for multi-tenants such as BASF, Hilton, Marriott, International Paper, Georgia Pacific, Pier One, and Heineken. In all, Port City Logistics runs nine warehouses in the Southeastern U.S. It handles hundreds of containers in the supply chain daily.

In concert with barcodes, the software works on devices running on iOS, Android, and Windows. In addition, Port City Logistics will run its Transportation Management System, Electronic Data Interchange, and GPS. As benefits, the company cited optimized inventory levels, increased worker productivity, improved customer satisfaction, and reduced cycle times.

"As one of the largest movers of merchandise through Savannah, we never know who the next customer will be," elaborated Billy Robinson, CEO of Port City Logistics. "We needed an extremely flexible WMS so that each customer can look at their products the way they want--and in real time. Our clients use our warehouses to distribute anything from hotel linens, to beer, to computers, to chicken broth, to chemicals."

Foxfire WMS Deployed at 3PL Port City Logistics

Channel Factoid

Nearly half of SMBs (48%) use one technology supplier to handle payments, payroll, invoices, and accounting, according to the SMB Technology Adoption Index for Q4 2015, powered by Sage. Meanwhile, 34% of SMBs use two or more suppliers for their financial technology solutions. Interestingly, two-thirds of SMBs (64%) that are not currently prepared to accept EMV cards have no plans to do so. Electronic invoicing is gaining adoption, being used by 31% of SMBs, and of those, 20% also can accept payments electronically. Somewhat surprisingly, less than half of SMBs (48%) said not getting paid on time is their most frustrating problem. "Small and medium businesses want a flexible, integrated, end-to-end system for managing the movement of money--that is, seamlessly getting paid, making payments, and managing cash flow--and vendors who can provide these types of solutions have a distinct opportunity," observed Paul Bridgewater, CEO of Sage Payment Solutions. "Price isn't necessarily the primary consideration for SMBs--rather, they want suppliers who can deliver a comprehensive solution to help them smartly manage their companies."

HELLO GOODBYE

TSC's Leaf Peeper

TSC Auto ID Technology America has engaged Al McChesney as its new Regional Sales Manager for the New England and Canada Regions. He brings more than two decades of sales experience for companies such as Ingram Micro, Intermec, Zebra, and Peak Technologies. "This is a great time to be part of the TSC team," enthused McChesney. "TSC is constantly innovating and expanding its product line. With several new products unveiled this year, I see a great opportunity for TSC to gain even more market share and I'm very excited to be a part of it."

"I have worked with Al in the past and his work ethic is second to none," testified Kevin O'Donnell, Director of Sales for TSC Auto ID Technology America. "Al has a proven track record working with the channel to grow sales and develop relationships. Al is a welcome addition and will definitely establish TSC in the New England and Canada Regions."

In November, readers of RRN.Com will recall, TSC Auto ID Technology snapped up the Thermal/AIDC Business of Printronix. A marriage of desktop printers from TSC and industrial printers from Printronix results. A stand-alone company, Printronix Auto ID, will function alongside TSC Auto ID in North America, both located in the "Americas" corporate headquarters in Pomona, CA. Another point of totality: the SMB and Fortune 1000.

Al McChesney, Regional Sales Manager, New England, TSC Auto ID Technology America

An Apt Choice for Aptos

Aptos (formerly Epicor Retail Solutions) has appointed retail industry veteran John Kalil to Chief Growth Officer. Previously, he served as Partner and Managing Director at the Boston Consulting Group. Before this, he was VP and Head of Global Management Consulting Services for Infosys Ltd. He held earlier leadership positions at the Gap, Inc. and Accenture.

"John brings a wealth of proven strategic retail expertise to Aptos," indicated Noel Goggin, CEO and Culture Leader for Aptos (Atlanta, GA). "His background in successfully leading and transforming companies in product innovation, merchandising, supply chain, technology, and operations will serve Aptos well as we partner with retailers around the world to help them innovate to engage customers differently. John will lead the charge in championing the Aptos Way, ensuring we are focused on approaching every client engagement with a pioneering spirit and a focus on authenticity, sincerity, and transparency."

"Aptos is a market leader with a distinctive vision and company DNA that brings a unique business partnership model to retailers," volunteered Kalil. "Retailers are facing dramatic shifts in consumer profiles, the convergence of online and offline purchasing pathways, and new players at the forefront of omni-channel commerce. I believe Aptos is exceptionally positioned to enable our customers to capitalize on these new disruptive forces."

John Kalil, Chief Growth Officer, Aptos