Our Product Pick

Cognex Corporation (Natick, MA) has unwrapped the newest member of its DataMan Series: Model 370. A fixed-mount barcode reader, DataMan 370 features image sensor (CMOS), integrated advanced lighting technology, and the company's patented decoding algorithms for 1D/2D. A high dynamic range capacity furnishes greater depth of field and improved reading of low contrast and damaged codes. In subsystem format, DataMan 370 measures 2.9 in. (L) x 2.1 in. (W) x 1.7 in. (H) and weighs 5.8 oz. It shares the same modular design, lens options, common protocols, and multiple I/O's as the DataMan 360 and 470 Series. "This is our most robust and flexible generation of DataMan 300, with the ability to solve a very broad range of applications at two times the performance of competitor devices in the same class," reported Carl Gerst, SVP and Business Unit Manager at Cognex Corporation.

Cognex DataMan 370

COMPANY BUSINESS

An HP Hug for Android

A further embrace of Android O/S for POS at HP (Palo Alto, CA). Already offering the O/S in its HP Engage One Prime, introduced at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Show in January, HP will next add Android to its HP Engage One and HP Engage Go Convertible (each debuted with Windows 10.) Also, HP has recruited two more hospitality ISVs for its Android POS: Aptito (Miami, FL) and eHopper (New York, NY).

"There are great benefits to using the Android platform for retail and hospitality," writes Aaron Weiss, VP and GM of Retail Solutions, in the HP Blog. "From 2016 to 2020, Android shipments are expected to grow at a CAGR of 21% in retail, according to IHL Group's MPOS Shipment Report. This is primarily driven by mobile POS and other use cases including self-service devices, back-office engagement devices, interactive in-aisle devices, and even as traditional POS devices. Android adoption is also driven by retailers' mobile apps which seamlessly integrate with in-store Android technologies--for example, orders and promotions tied to in-store self-checkout."

"Android is also a powerful O/S for retail and hospitality businesses who want to expand and deploy use cases beyond traditional POS solutions with mobility and immersive digital displays. They are looking for new ways to interact with consumers and provide an overall better experience that's both tailored and seamless," continues Weiss. "In July, the HP Engage One and HP Engage Go Convertible will be available to support Android in addition to Windows, and Linux, giving retailers and hospitality operators choice, flexibility, and an opportunity to increase engagement with consumers and deliver experiences that change the way consumers interact with a business and its products."

HP Engage One and HP Engage Go Convertible (Shown Here) Will Get Android O/S

Seiko Steers by BlueStar

Seiko Instruments USA, Thermal Printer Division (Torrance, CA), has engaged with BlueStar (Hebron, KY) for distribution in North America. It covers the entire product family of printers from Seiko, including the new 3" RP-F10 receipt printer with digital color display, 3" MP-B30 mobile printer introduced earlier this year, and 2" SLP 600 desktop label printer. As major distributors of Seiko in our channel, BlueStar now joins Ingram Micro (Irvine, CA) and ScanSource (Greenville, SC).

"We are excited by this new relationship that will undoubtedly continue our presence when it comes to high-level partnerships," expressed Yoshi Murakami, GM of Seiko Instruments USA, Thermal Printer Division. "We look forward to working with BlueStar's management, as well as their partner community--all of whom have the utmost reputation, tradition, and experience within our industry." (A busy time at Seiko Instruments USA, Thermal Printer Division, which recently hired Matt Schmitz, formerly of Xerox and HP, as its new Director of Sales and Business Development.)

"As a value-added distributor, our goal is to provide customers with the most comprehensive solutions and services available in the channel," expounded Dean Reverman, Global Marketing Manager for BlueStar. "Seiko's products, services, and support will aid our customers in their ability to expand their business. We look forward to our new partnership with Seiko and driving those new partner opportunities."

Seiko Signs With BlueStar for Distribution

Worth Your While

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 18-21
Chicago, IL

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
July 28-31
San Antonio, TX

VARTECH
BlueStar
September 16-17
Paradise Island, Bahamas

Pack Expo
Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI)
September 23-25
Las Vegas, NV

NACS Show
National Association of Convenience Stores
October 2-4
Atlanta, GA

Money 20/20
October 27-30
Las Vegas, NV

NRF 2020 Vision
National Retail Federation
January 12-14, 2020
New York, NY

Inspire
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
January 26-20, 2020
Nassau, Bahamas

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association (ETA)
April 30-May 2, 2020
Las Vegas, NY

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Sighting Moby/5500

Ingenico Group has unboxed the latest payment device in its Moby Series, the Moby/5500. Intended for integration by the channel of developers and ISVs in POS, Moby/5500 accepts the range of electronic payment methods in MSR, EMV (Chip-and-Sign or Chip-and-PIN), and NFC Contactless (Apple Pay or Google Pay). It also meets the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Council's SPOC Standard, enabling developers and ISVs in POS to offer transactions via PIN-on-Mobile.

As expected, Moby/5500 supports iOS, Android, and Windows O/S. As security, it holds PCI PTS 5.x SRED, EMV Levels 1 and 2, and EMV Level 1 Contactless. As connectivity with tablets, there's Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 4.2 with optional Apple MFi. A compact form factor is presented--3 in. (L) x 2.1 in. (W) x 0.6 in. (D), weighing 2.8 oz.--with Cortex M4 CPU at 150 MHz and four indicator LEDs

A 500-mAh Lithium-Ion battery provides up to 400 transactions per charge in Moby/5500. It also includes multiple contact pads and USB-C. A white-label choice allows customizing branding on the front of the device, which is described as enterprise-grade. "Our customers know that e-commerce growth in the U.S. has driven an evolution in consumer preferences for similar frictionless experiences in-store," observed Irfan Nasir, Head of Solutions Development and Deployment for Ingenico North America (Atlanta, GA). "This can mean paying with any of a variety of methods or expecting any sales personnel on the floor to be both a knowledgeable staffer and a mobile point of checkout themselves."

Moby/5500 Payment Device From Ingenico

Honeywell Feels "ANSI"

Honeywell has unveiled its industrial thermal label printer with integrated verification capability, shipped as the Model PX940. With 4" print width, and maximum speeds of 14 in./350 mm per second at 203 dpi and 12 in./300 mm per second at 300 dpi, the PX940 can produce up to 10,000 labels per day, according to Honeywell. It adds 4 in./100 mm per second verification speed (and up to 32 1D/2D barcodes per label). With pass/fail and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Grades 1 to 4, barcodes that don't meet an established threshold are retracted, voided, and the replacement label gets printed.

In physical dimensions of 19.9 in (L) x 15.7 in. (H) x 10.3 in. (W), weighing 23.5 lbs., the PX940 (with verification, PX940V) features precision print registration of 0.2 mm. allowing small labels edge-to-edge with virtually no error tolerance, notes Honeywell. An ARM Cortex Dual-Core A9 CPU at 1 GB, 256-MB Flash, and 1-GB SDRAM--along with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 4.0--eliminates the need for connected PC. As additional features, PX940 has 3.5" color touch LCD, foldable clear media door, 8.4 in./213 mm maximum paper roll diameter, multiple I/O's (USB 2.0, Serial RS-232, and Ethernet 10/100), and operating temperature of +41 to +104 Degrees F.

"We have seen retailers charge back up to 20% of the shipment value if the barcode is not compliant to their standards," cautioned Taylor Smith, CMO of Honeywell Productivity Products (Ft. Mill, SC). "An integrated verifier and advanced image processing software records all data to the cloud, ensuring customers never have poor-quality labels." Software for label design for the PX940 may be downloaded from the Honeywell Marketplace, along with Honeywell Operational Intelligence.

Honeywell's PX940 Label Printer With Verifier

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MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

EVO: South of the Border

EVO Payments (Atlanta, GA) has snapped up the payment gateway assets of SF Systems (Mexico City, Mexico). Since its founding in 2002 (and partnering with EVO since 2015), SF Systems has developed integrations to many of the leading POS in Mexico. With this purchase, the team of professionals that support SF Systems' gateway, which is dubbed "Orion," will be joining EVO, according to the two parties.

"We are very pleased to announce EVO's acquisition of SF Systems' payment gateway, which will strengthen our position in the growing tech-enabled market in Mexico," related Brendan Tansill, President of North America for EVO. "With SF Systems' integrations to software solutions servicing mid-sized merchants and large national and multi-national companies, this acquisition will be a great asset for EVO, not just in Mexico, but across all of our markets." (Previously, Tansill served as EVP of Business Development, Strategy, and Latin America at EVO.)

"We are eager to leverage EVO's distribution and positioning in Mexico and beyond to deliver our integrated solutions to EVO's existing and new customers," stated Carlos Pino, President of SF Systems. "Additionally, we believe the integration of SF Systems to EVO's Snap Platform will enhance the payments experience of our current customers." Terms of the deal, which is expected to close by the end of Q3 2019, were not disclosed.

EVO Buys the Gateway of Mexico's SF Systems

[Ed. Note: Also, EVO Payments has partnered with hospitality ISV eHopper (New York, NY).]

Texas P.O.S.: Gone to NCR

NCR Corporation (Atlanta, GA) has brought another of its POS VARs into the fold: Texas P.O.S. (Houston, TX). A reseller of NCR Aloha for more than two decades, Texas P.O.S. becomes the 15th NCR Local Office. As readers may recall, NCR purchased another of its leading VARs, BEC (Denver, CO), in March as its 14th Local Office. Acquisition terms for both deals were not disclosed.

"I'm so pleased to join the NCR family," projected Brian Choate, President and Founder of Texas P.O.S. "After twenty-six years of growing the business, I'm proud of what we've built here. It's time to take the next step for our customers, and I couldn't be happier with the partnership and the process." All employees of Texas P.O.S., including management and staff, have accepted positions with NCR, according to the official announcement. (At present, 2,000 sites for Texas P.O.S.)

"Everything we do is guided by our principle to put the customer first," proposed Michael Hayford, President and CEO of NCR Corporation. "When Texas P.O.S. first discussed the possibility of combining forces in Houston we quickly discovered their team was immersed in the local community. Our customers in the area will be very satisfied by the expanded set of services we can provide." Only question: Who's next?

NCR Buys Hospitality VAR Texas P.O.S.

Code Corner

Shift4 Payments (Allentown, PA and Las Vegas, NV) has embraced the RESTful (Representational State Transfer) API (Application Programming Interface). With widely used JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), RESTful API will allow ISVs to more quickly integrate their property management system (PMS) and POS to the gateway and network at Shift4. As an example, endpoints more easily define the request being performed when compared to function request codes (e.g., "POS/transactions/sale" versus "FRC 1B"). Also, exception handling has been built into the RESTful API and it's easier to add new fields and functionality while maintaining backward compatibility, points out Shift4. Integration partners who have an existing payment interface with Shift4 will be given the option to recertify to the new RESTful API (which will be the standard going forward at Shift4). "We're excited to support our ISV partners with this flexible and powerful new integration toolset," relayed Steve Sommers, Chief Application Architect of Shift4 Payments. "They are now able to design, create, and implement best-in-class payment integration even faster so they can get their products to their customers as soon as possible."

Shift4 Payments Embraces RESTful API

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

A Space Race at MobileDemand

A new software capability for hardware vendor MobileDemand (Hiawatha, IA), entitled xDIM Mobile Dimensioning. Accepting beta testers, it's engineered to measure package volume dimensions for more efficient loading in warehousing and logistics. As hardware, emphasizing portability, it employs the Intel Real Sense Depth Camera D415, integrated into the xTablet T1150 and xTablet T1270 rugged mobile computers by MobileDemand, and the xCases for Microsoft's Surface Go and Surface Pro Tablets by MobileDemand.

A Microsoft Windows-based platform, xDIM Mobile Dimensioning uploads its data to its cloud-based dashboard, with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for third-party business packages. As benefits, in addition to accuracy and productivity in shipping, xDIM eliminates the need to move packages around before staging or put-away. With xDIM, end-users may charge shipping by "dimensional"--rather than "standard"--weight. Also, charge-backs are reduced.

According to MobileDemand: "[Our] product development team asked themselves, 'Why not bring the technology to the warehouse or shipping floor where it's most useful?' Beyond that, 'Why not incorporate this new technology into the rugged tablets these workers already use to do their jobs every day?' It just so happens to work seamlessly with MobileDemand's rugged xTablets."

MobileDemand Launches xDIM Mobile Dimensioning for Loading and Shipping

Lavu Stoked by Take-Out

A move into online ordering for restaurant management platform Lavu (Albuquerque, NM), with its purchase of MenuDrive (Carlisle, PA). As benefits of its newly combined technology for online ordering, mobility, and iPad-based POS, Lavu cited increased sales from seamless online ordering and food delivery, more effective marketing and customized loyalty programs, and enhanced business analytics. Integration of MenuDrive, which was founded in 2009, and had forged relations with leading POS ISVs, cuts the need for third-party software and services.

"A single vision and goal, which is to provide restaurant owners with the online ordering technology they need to thrive, is shared by both MenuDrive and Lavu," indicated Saleem Khatri, CEO of Lavu. "Together, the strength of our combined companies will enable our customers to achieve even higher profit margins and increased levels of customer satisfaction." Added Adrian Fang, Co-Founder and President of MenuDrive, "We are positioned to provide more value and benefits to restaurant owners so that they succeed regardless of size or budget."

Also, in April, Lavu offered an employee stock option plan in the U.S. "Lavu is at an inflection point and this is a great time for the company to thank those employees who have helped us get to where we are today," proclaimed Khatri. Established in 2010, as one of the early players in iPad-based POS, Lavu received $15 million in private equity funding from Aldrich Capital in 2015. It focuses on the SMB.

Lavu Adds MenuDrive to Its iPad-Based POS

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Aures
Bematech
CRS, Inc.
Electronic Payments
Harbortouch
HP
Ingenico
Pioneer POS
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Toshiba
WooPOS

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF POS

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Janam Technologies

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
EVO Payments/Sterling
Ingenico

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

A Three-Leaf Clover

As designated "CloverAchievers" three small businesses will be feted this fall. Aspirants must be businesses in the U.S. with fewer than 1,500 employees. A trio of winners will share $100,000 in cash, an equipment make-over with Clover POS, and charitable donation in their name to an approved philanthropic organization of their choice. Applications must be submitted by July 31, 2019. A group of finalists will be announced by the end of August 2019, with three CloverAchievers selected by the panel of judges in September 2019.

"As an entrepreneur myself, I personally understand the daily challenges business owners face in running and growing their businesses," volunteered John Beatty, CEO and Founder of Clover. "As part of our commitment to empowering small business success and providing innovative solutions, we're overjoyed to launch CloverAchievers and spotlight entrepreneurs who have the passion to succeed." Started in 2013, and backed by First Data Corporation, Clover, with more than one million devices shipped, processed more than $70 billion in payment volume for 2018.

"Clover has been leaps and bounds better than anything we have tried in the industry," testified Ethan Tobin, Co-Owner of The Liberty Pub (North Bend, OR)."With Clover, we have seen a 20% increase in revenue. [It] helps us take orders faster, accept and secure payments, improve employee communication, design seating charts, and drive decisions. The three biggest things we couldn't do before--tracking our customers, following up with them, and incentivizing loyal customers--we can do now thanks to our partnership with Clover."

A Contest for "CloverAchievers" in the SMB

Punchh Stirs the "Sauciety"

A leader in digital marketing solutions for physical retailers, Punchh (San Mateo, CA) has developed the new loyalty program for fast-casual restaurant chain, Buffalo Wings & Rings. A cleverly tagged "Buffalo Sauciety" serves 55 locations across the U.S. It allows the franchise to engage customers through multiple channels with timely, personalized communications to drive sales and increase loyalty, according to Punchh, which has its so-called "Marketing Cloud." (An app for Buffalo Sauciety appears on the App Store and Google Play.)

"Buffalo Wings & Rings conducted a thorough evaluation of several potential partners and ultimately decided to launch the program with Punchh based on its ability to offer a comprehensive solution with a user-friendly dashboard," recounted Linsey Case, Senior Marketing Manager at Buffalo Wings & Rings. "Other vendors said they could do these things, but Punchh was a clear winner in having already developed the functionality that we needed. There is nothing more important to Wings & Rings than the relationships we maintain with our most loyal customers."

A point for each dollar spent is logged for guests in Buffalo Sauciety (excluding alcohol, gift cards, catering, and retail). As redemptions, there's $10 reward per 100 points. It also incentivizes members with birthday and anniversary offers as additional "surprise and delight" rewards based on purchase behavior and visit frequency. A number of leading players in POS--emerging and legacy--partner with Punchh.

A New Loyalty Program by Punchh Deployed at Buffalo Wings & Rings

[Ed. Note: Also, Punchh has debuted its in-store "Wi-Fi Marketing." It employs the customers' smartphone. As part of its package, Punchh offers free Wi-Fi.]

Channel Factoid

-Almost every executive in retail (99%) admits to some kind of constant inventory problem, and the vast majority (87%) report inaccurate inventories are to blame for more lost revenue than theft (13%), according to the new survey.

-As constant issues: 73% cite inaccuracy in inventory forecasting; 66% cite inaccuracy in pricing; and 65% cite inability to track inventory through the supply chain.

-67% of surveyed executives in retail feel that analyzing inventory on store shelves is not an effective use of employees' time.

-Instead of spending time on sales-driven customer service and upselling, the majority of employee time is spent filling out-of-stock holes on shelves (56%) and pulling items forward on shelves (55%).

-92% of surveyed executives in retail agree their stores spend more time identifying inventory issues than they do implementing solutions.

-81% of surveyed executives in retail feel their stores are only keeping pace or actually falling behind technologically, despite the availability of new technologies.

-About three-quarters of surveyed executives in retail (74%) say the introduction of robots in stores, or automation, would improve inventory accuracy.

-Similarly, about three-quarters of surveyed executives in retail (76%) say the introduction of robots in stores, or automation, would improve employee productivity, and would be embraced by employees (62%).

Source: Survey Conducted by Wakefield Research for Bossa Nova Robotics (San Francisco, CA)

Can Automation Solve Inventory Problems?

A Message From the Editor

As we enter another year, our mission stays constant: to fill the need for timely, focused, non-biased news in the channel for POS & Auto ID. If anything, that need grows more pressing in the face of changes in technology, go-to-market strategies, and business models. We look forward to continuing that mission and welcome your suggestions and thoughts on improvements.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

HELLO GOODBYE

Banking on Badovinac

International Bancard (Detroit, MI) has recruited John Badovinac as its VP of Integrated Payments, with responsibility for ISVs and VARs. He joins the processor from TSYS/Cayan, where he served as VP of Partner Relationship Management (2017 to 2019). Earlier, at Discover Financial Services, his roles included Senior Manager of Third-Party Operations (2007 to 2009), Group Senior Manager of Prepaid and Emerging Payments (2009 to 2011), Senior Manager of Acquirer Relations (2011 to 2013), and Head of Integrated Payments (2013 to 2016).

"As the payment processing industry continues to change and evolve, it's important that International Bancard remain at the forefront of new opportunities. By bringing John onboard as our VP of Integrated Payments, we're demonstrating our ongoing commitment to enabling financial technology," declared David Iafrate, Founder and CEO of International Bancard. "With his unique background and his extensive knowledge of integrated payments and strategic partnerships, John will create and maintain a successful channel that will help businesses embed payments within their proprietary software."

"I am tremendously excited to join the International Bancard team to continue our ongoing effort to help our integrated partners win by growing their core software businesses," contributed Badovinac. "Our multi-processor gateway offers affordable, secure hardware options and is supported by dedicated sales and personalized support. This team is truly passionate about our partners' success."

John Badovinac, VP of Integrated Payments, International Bancard

Raising Caines at StayLinked

StayLinked Corporation (Irvine, CA), developer of terminal emulation software, has enlisted Ron Caines as its VP of Channel Sales. Most recently, he served as VP of Global Sales at AetherPal (2018 to 2019) and VP of Global Sales and Marketing at B2M Solutions (2014 to 2018). As readers may recall, he was VP of Marketing (2005 to 2006), President of Americas (2006 to 2009), and President of Worldwide Sales and Services (2009 to 2013) at the former Psion Teklogix.

"Ron Caines is an incredibly well-respected voice in this industry," noted Dan Hogan, President of StayLinked. "His invaluable experience collaborating with partners and customers to help identify business needs will be vital in increasing StayLinked's growth." Added Justin Griffith, StayLinked's CTO, "With the addition of Ron, we have fortified our commitment to help customers quickly bring their entrenched systems into the new world of cutting-edge technology such as hardware automation, location awareness, and IoT."

"StayLinked is raising the bar for warehouse efficiency and worker productivity," commented Caines. "And by giving customers valuable insights into their systems with the development of StayLinked IQ, StayLinked is further streamlining and optimizing warehouse operations. I look forward to expanding its international reach as we continue our collaboration with our growing list of partners."

Ron Caines, VP of Channel Sales, StayLinked Corporation

Devon in the Details

Posera (Montreal, QC, Canada) has appointed Devon MacDougall as its Director of Technology. His experience includes Project Manager for Genetec (2017 to 2019), Technical Coordinator for Ericsson (2011 to 2017), and Software Engineer for Lockheed Martin (2005 to 2011). As products for restaurants, Posera offers its Maitre'D POS, KDS (Kitchen Display System), SecureTablePay, and DataBoard.

"We are very happy to have Devon join Posera," shared Dan Poirier, CEO of Posera. "We believe Devon will be able to leverage his previous experience from military to telecommunications to automation to guide the development of Posera's product portfolio into the future." A longstanding player in the channel of VARs in POS, Posera posted revenues of $9.98 million for 2018.

"In software, you find new and innovative ways to solve problems every day. That's one of the things I love about creating software. I've been fortunate to be involved in world-class projects for over a decade, spanning Waterfall, Agile, and Kanban methodologies," mentioned MacDougall. "I am delighted to join Posera as the Director of Technology and to have the opportunity to help shape the future of Posera's products."

Posera Hires New Director of Technology, Devon MacDougall

[Ed. Note: Also, Posera has brought online ordering technology for restaurants into its Maitre'D POS via UEAT Technologies (Quebec, QC, Canada). "A partnership with a major company such as Posera is an incredible opportunity for UEAT to establish its traction in the North American market," enthused Martin Lafrance, Chairman of UEAT.]