Our Product Pick

A new industrial label printer from Toshiba America Business Solutions (Lake Forest, CA), Model BX410T, carries the company's advanced printing platform/ecosystem, called A-BRID. In dimensions of 10.9"/277 mm (W) x 18.1"/460 mm (D) x 12.2"/310 mm (H), weighing 37.5 lbs./17 kg, the direct-thermal/thermal-transfer BX410T furnishes 4"/102 mm print width. It offers maximum print speed of 14"/356 mm per second with resolution of 203/305 dpi. As features, it includes 4.3" full color LCD, ribbon-save technology, standard USB and LAN, and optional WLAN. "Adopting Toshiba's next-gen A-BRID operating system activates leading cloud functionality and customization to further tackle supply chain and logistics applications," expounded Bill Melo, VP of Marketing and Strategic Development at Toshiba America Business Solutions.

Toshiba BX410T Label Printer

COMPANY BUSINESS

Zebra Ropes Elo

A major consolidation in our channel sees Elo (Knoxville, TN) purchased by Zebra Technologies (Lincolnshire, IL). Acquisition will be financed with cash and funds from Zebra's credit facility, reportedly to the tune of $1.3 billion. Elo, which has been majority-owned since 2018 by funds managed by Crestview Partners, has approximate annual sales of $400 million. In full 2024, Zebra's sales were approximately $5 billion.

In our channel, of course, Zebra Technologies supplies hardware, software, and services for the frontline worker--in particular, barcode scanners and printers, industrial mobile computers, and RFID. In customer-facing environments, Elo supplies its touchscreens, kiosks, and digital signage. A combination of the companies' complementary products, market strategies, and channel approaches will span retail, hospitality, quick-service restaurant, healthcare, and supply-chain industries.

"This acquisition represents the next step in our journey to accelerate the connected frontline, which is a key tenet of our growth strategy," projected Bill Burns, CEO of Zebra Technologies. "An increased focus on self-service and consumer-facing workflows will expand our addressable market by approximately $8 billion and create a leading portfolio of solutions that digitize and automate the frontline of business. We look forward to pursuing new growth opportunities."

Zebra Technologies Purchases Elo

Star Micronics: At Your Service

A fully managed cloud printing service for our channel, as StarIO .Online, has been unwrapped at Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ). With minimal code and simple API (Application Programming Interface), it offers the same seamless integration as the company's CloudPRNT. In this case, Star Micronics oversees the servers, monitoring, and uptime.

"StarIO .Online gives ISVs an easier path to added value," explained Jon Levin, Director of Product Management at Star Micronics. "You can provide cloud printing services across 10 or 1,000-plus customers with zero infrastructure burden. It's your code, and our code, together producing powerful results."

"A managed solution that helps software providers grow," summarized Levin. As expected, it works with any printer--receipt, label, kitchen--compatible with Star's CloudPRNT and CloudPRNT Next. A 90-day free trial is offered for StarIO .Online, followed by subscription-based pricing.

A Managed Cloud Printing Service for the Channel

Worth Your While

Money 20/20 USA
Ascential PLC
October 26-29
Las Vegas, NV

MJBizCon
Emerald X
December 2-5
Las Vegas, NV

2026

NRF Big Show
National Retail Federation
January 11-13
New York, NY

NGA Show
National Grocers Association
February 1-3
Las Vegas, NV

RSPA Inspire
Retail Solutions Providers Association
February 1-4
Kaua'i, HI

ETA Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
March 18-20
Atlanta, GA

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 16-19
Chicago, IL

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Act II at Bixolon

A new linerless thermal printer, Model SRP-S300II, has been debuted at Bixolon America (Torrance, CA). In dimensions of 5.7"/144 mm (W) x 7.3"/185 mm (D) x 8.1"/206 mm (H), weighing 4.9 lbs./2.2 kg, the SRP-S300II delivers several enhancements over the previous SRP-S300. With 3"/80 mm maximum print width and maximum print speed of 7"/180 mm per second at resolution of 203 dpi, it has 512 MB SDRAM/256 MB Flash.

As features, SRP-S300II has 4.3" full-color LCD for set-up and settings, "taken sensor" to prevent paper jamming, and back-feeding and paper-saving modes. With stackable and wall-mount configurations, SRP-S300II has anti-adhesive coated platen with an IP-22 rating for durability. A full suite of connectivity includes Serial, USB, Powered USB, LAN, Bluetooth, and WLAN. It supports Bixolon's B-linerless Media, similar to SRP-S300.

"As an industry leader in linerless printing, we recognize the growing demand for more advanced and versatile solutions," related John Kim, Marketing Director at Bixolon Co. (South Korea). "With the launch of the SRP-S300II, we're expanding our product line to offer next-generation performance that not only meets evolving customer needs but also reinforces our commitment to sustainability and innovation."

Bixolon SRP-S300II Linerless Printer

Factor4: Stacking the Deck

A customizable self-service kiosk for gift cards by Factor4 (Broomall, PA) targets high-volume and high-traffic opportunities in retail and hospitality. It enables customers to purchase cards carrying company branding and logo without staff assistance and in volumes ranging from 1 to 500. It encourages participation by empowering customers to engage with gifts instantly and conveniently, according to Factor4.

Users may check their gift card balances by entering the last six digits of the card. Also, gift cards are redeemable both in-store and online, with usage tracking across platforms, including POS. Either cash or credit card may be used for gift card purchase by customers, and the sleek, rugged kiosk is easy to maintain and refill, adds Factor4.

"Factor4's self-serve kiosks bring powerful convenience to environments where speed and scale matter most," reported Dan Battista, CEO and Partner at Factor4. "With fully branded kiosks and gift cards, along with omnichannel functionality, businesses can maximize revenue opportunities while delivering a frictionless, high-impact guest experience." A number of kiosk hardware vendors partner with Factor4.

Factor4 Gift Card Kiosk for High Traffic

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Week of September 22

Retail Product Digest -- Summer 2025

Week of July 21

A Message From the Editor

As we enjoy another year--our 20th!--our mission remains constant: to fill the need for timely, focused, non-biased news in the channel for POS & Auto ID (and now Mobility). If anything, that need grows more pressing in the face of new technologies, go-to-market strategies, business models, and consumer expectations. We look forward to continuing our mission, and welcome your suggestions and thoughts on improvements.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

ALLIANCES

Epson Sews Up SOTI

A strategic partnership with SOTI (Mississauga, ON, Canada) brings remote monitoring and management of thermal printers from Epson America (Los Alamitos, CA). "By combining Epson's industry-leading retail and hospitality printers with SOTI Connect, businesses gain peace of mind knowing their technology works seamlessly in the background," expressed Michael Weitz, Product Manager, Epson America. A single point of control, via SOTI Connect, allows support of widespread mobile, countertop, and industrial thermal printers by Epson America.

"Printers often go unnoticed--until they stop working," observed Marc Lapierre, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at SOTI. "In retail and hospitality, printer downtime can halt everything from checkout to shipping. Our partnership with Epson changes that--business can now monitor, manage, and secure their printers remotely, keeping them running smoothly across every touchpoint."

Applicable to the retail floor, warehouse, delivery truck, or healthcare facility, for receipts, labels, or wristbands, SOTI Connect proactively detects and corrects printer issues as they occur, with insights on battery levels, memory usage, print-head temperature, and print cycles, as well as security status and physical location. As elements, it features powerful rules engine, firmware updates, visualization dashboards, automatic group mapping, device logs, and network inventory. In label printing, Epson has showcased its new Colorworks CW-C8000.

Visibility, Security, and Control of Thermal Printers

A "Broad" Jump for ISVs

A collaboration between Payroc (Tinley Park, IL) and PAX Technology (Jacksonville, FL) has fueled the Payroc BroadPOS Program for ISVs. It furnishes seamless access to major processors, such as Fiserv and TSYS, while offering full support for popular PAX devices, including the A80 (countertop), A920 Pro (mobile), and IM30 (unattended). As benefits, the two parties identify reduced development costs, faster time to market, and enhanced maintenance and support.

"By eliminating certification hurdles and aligning BroadPOS with Payroc's flexible partner programs, which include managed models, we're giving ISVs the ability to scale faster, fully monetize payments, and deliver more value to their customers," suggested Conn Byrne, Executive Director, Integrated Payments, at Payroc. "Working with PAX, we're building smarter partnerships that unlock long-term growth." An early member: Dencar (Green, OH), which provides car-wash POS.

Also, PAX has announced the return of its annual partner conference, PAXCON, taking place in Orlando, FL, on December 1-3, 2025. It will include demonstration of two new payment terminals by PAX: the A360/A380 PIN Pads. With Android 14, and Qualcomm Octa-Core CPUs, A360 has 5.5" screen, and A380 has 8" screen. "As our ecosystem expands, PAXCON 2025 will highlight how our partners are thriving--and why the best is yet to come," stated Clint Jones, CRO of PAX Technology.

A Partnership for "BroadPOS" Simplifies Payments

Code Corner

A Bundle of Smarts

A dedicated "Smart Retail Solution" has been fashioned by CipherLab (Plano, TX) and Partner Tech (Anaheim, CA). It combines the Mobile "Pic 'n Fill" OCR (Optical Character Recognition) of CipherLab with the AI POS/Self-Checkout of Partner Tech. A middleware from WiXtar (Taipei, Taiwan) connects elements of POS, KDS (Kitchen Display System), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), etc. Also, inventory and demand planning are addressed by an intelligent engine from TQG (Toronto, ON, Canada). Finally, CipherLab's MDM (Mobile Device Management), designated "ReMoCloud," enables real-time monitoring and troubleshooting across devices with Android O/S. As markets, the two partners identify convenience stores, supermarkets, and restaurants.

A Team of CipherLab and Partner Tech

Presto Crypto

A crypto-to-cash payment platform has been launched by AnywhereCommerce (Fresno, CA). A part of the company's "AnyPay," it allows merchants to accept cryptocurrency and receive instant cash settlements in local currency. As critical features, the company cites: no chargebacks, multi-layer security, cross-border reach, and easy integration via SDK (Software Development Kit) and API (Application Programming Interface). "With this launch, we're delivering the future of payments today," declared Jeff Park, CRO of AnywhereCommerce. "Our crypto-to-cash solution empowers merchants to accept digital assets as easily as they accept cards--without ever touching crypto themselves. It's fast, frictionless, and future ready."

Crypto-to-Cash by AnywhereCommerce

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

SpotOn's Day-Tipper

A new earned tip solution, named "DayCheck," has been fielded by restaurant management provider SpotOn (San Francisco, CA). As integrated into the company's platform, SpotOn Teamwork, it automatically records tips, enables manager review, and sends payouts directly to employees. Approved tips appear in the DayCheck App, with options for no-fee transfers or (for "small" fee) priority transfers.

Unlike many such tip distribution schemes, it eliminates the need for restaurant operators to prefund tips, notes SpotOn. Also, they can skip time-consuming manual calculations, potential problems in cash handling, and management of delayed payments. A SpotOn debit card for employees will be forthcoming. Another benefit: transparency.

As described by Amir Harpaz, Owner of bar/restaurant, The Mudpuppy (Vonore, TN): "[With DayCheck] servers get their tips daily. By the time they get home from a shift, their money is already in their bank account. It's been a game changer for recruiting and retention." A lot of recent activity in the SMB for SpotOn, which is led by Matt Hyman, CEO.

SpotOn Sets Tip Payout Solution Called DayCheck

Shaping the "Qube"

An integration joins the gift/loyalty platform of Paytronix (Newton, MA) with the restaurant POS of Qu (Arlington, VA). It covers standard check-service reward types, with upcoming capacity for physical cards. As part of Qu Business Edge, or Qube, it unifies customer data, personalizes offers in real-time, and guarantees uptime with "triple redundancy."

"Our team has always held the belief that integrations are just as important as product launches," remarked Kalani Stephens, Director of Strategic Partnerships with Paytronix. "Qu is a massive name in the restaurant technology space, and we align on creating an environment that works for as many customers as possible. We're so glad to be working alongside them and bringing our two platforms together to create this seamless, scalable, customer-centric dining experience."

"By integrating Paytronix and Qu, brands can capture rich guest insights and deliver personalized experiences," proposed Ben Pryor, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Qu. "And because everything runs on Qu Business Edge, operators get enterprise-grade reliability--even when the Internet blinks." A trio of offerings include Qube A (basic), Qube E (added energy and equipment monitoring), and Qube IQu (with AI).

A Unified Approach to POS and Gift/Loyalty

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Advantech-Aures
Bixolon America
Custom America
Electronic Payments
Epson America
FEC POS
HiStone
HP
Ingenico
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Sam4s/Shin Heung Precision
Star Micronics
Touch Dynamic
Washburn Computer Group

Barcode Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Epson America
Woosim Systems

Cash Drawers/Cash Handling
apg/APG Cash Drawer

Data Collection
Star Micronics

Integrated Payment Solutions
Aurora Payments
Charge Anywhere
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
Ingenico

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Epson America
Star Micronics
Woosim Systems

Remote Device Management
42Gears
Canopy

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
apg/APG Cash Drawer
Star Micronics

INSTALLATIONS

A Shiji Ninja in Hospitality

An effort in digital transformation for American Liberty Hospitality expands the use of Infrasys POS by Shiji Americas (Atlanta, GA). It deploys Infrasys POS Move (with iOS) as well as Shiji Stellaris Digital Dine (with Check-In to Check-Out). It now runs at seven properties of American Liberty Hospitality in the Greater Houston, TX, Area, including the Hilton Houston Westchase, Embassy Suites Houston Downtown, Homewood Suites/Hampton Inn Houston Downtown, Holiday Inn Express/Staybridge Suites Houston Galleria, and DoubleTree Galveston Beach.

"American Liberty Hospitality is a forward-thinking group with a diverse portfolio of properties and complex food & beverage demands," commented Ryan King, SVP of Shiji Americas. "By deploying Infrasys POS Move with Stellaris Digital Dine, they're creating a hybrid model that combines mobility and enterprise stability." As one example of use cases, he cites taking customer food and drink orders at poolside.

"We've seen speed and efficiency gains across the board, from completing transactions at the guest's first point of contact to making database changes remotely thanks to the cloud-based system," testified Jason Kaminski, Corporate Food & Beverage Manager at American Liberty Hospitality. "The biggest benefit is knowing the system can evolve with us--whether it's adapting outlets, upgrading hardware, or growing our F&B strategy. That kind of flexibility allows us to keep our teams focused on creating memorable guest experiences."

Hotel Chain Embraces Shiji Infrasys POS

A Pie With Extra "Cheese"

A regional pizza chain, Creno's Pizza in Ohio, has demonstrated the effectiveness of the new text marketing feature of HungerRush (Houston, TX). Now deployed in 18 of Creno's 24 sites, the campaign showed coupon redemption rate of 29% and revenue of $219,000 in two weeks, according to the two parties. As part of the full-featured platform of POS, HungerRush Text Marketing rolled out in September.

Unlike third-party marketing tools, submits HungerRush, it requires no integrations, no extra log-ins, and no added complexity. A dashboard ties to sales in the POS, so the restaurant can see what's driving orders and where to improve in real-time. As an introduction, HungerRush offers the first campaign free to its restaurant customers in POS.

"Restaurant operators don't just want more tools--they want results," relayed Eran Hollander, Chief Product Officer at HungerRush. "With Text Marketing, you're not guessing whether a campaign worked. You're seeing the impact in real time, linked to actual orders. With AI and verified, 'clean,' contact lists working together, we help restaurants turn connection into conversion--and we're just getting started."

HungerRush Shows Success in Text Marketing

[Editor's Note: Speaking of pizza, SpeedLine Solutions (Abbotsford, BC, Canada) has released its upgraded platform, SpeedLine Plus.]

Channel Factoid

Ways of the Wallet

(Use of Digital Payments)

In-Store
95% - Smartphone OEM
51% - Global Wallets
48% - Retailer Apps
23% - Local Wallets
1% - BNPL

Online
89% - Global Wallets
42% - Smartphone OEM
29% - BNPL
14% - Local Wallets
1% - Other

In-App
79% - Global Wallets
46% - Smartphone OEM
24% - BNPL
13% - Local Wallets
1% - Other

Source: "Ninth Annual Digital Payments Survey" by McKinsey

92% of U.S. Consumers Make Digital Payments

Short Takes

-WizarPOS (Los Angeles, CA) has partnered with Nuvei (Montreal, QC, Canada) to deliver integrated payment solutions running Android O/S.

-RetailPro (Folsom, CA) has called upon OneBeat (Tel Aviv, Israel) to strengthen its store inventory functionality with AI.

-NCR Voyix (Atlanta, GA) has partnered with Corpay (Atlanta, GA) to enable fleet card acceptance with Voyix Connect for POS.

-BlueStar (Hebron, KY) has announced the retirement of Mike Byington, VP of Business Development, effective December 31, 2025. A familiar figure in our channel, he first joined the distributor three decades ago, as only the fourth employee.

HELLO GOODBYE

A-Lister at apg

A new President and CEO, Heather Stewart, has been named at apg (Minneapolis, MN). Her background shows executive leadership across consumer goods, manufacturing, and industrial distribution, in roles such as President of Illume and Good Chemistry, CEO and Managing Director at Wurth Adams, and VP of Operations at Duke Cannon Supply Co. and The Village Company. She has served as Adjunct Faculty at the University of St. Thomas - Opus College of Business (Minneapolis, MN).

"I'm honored to lead apg at this pivotal moment," shared Stewart. "This company has a remarkable legacy in cash drawer manufacturing, quietly powering global commerce for decades. That legacy deserves to be protected, elevated, and evolved as we position apg for continued success."

"Our path forward will be guided by three pillars: operational excellence, innovation with purpose, and disciplined growth," continued Stewart. "By strengthening our supply chain, anticipating customer needs, and making smart investments in our future, we'll ensure apg remains indispensable to the markets we serve." A longtime leader in our channel, in addition to its cash drawers, apg supplies cash management systems and hardware, such as kiosk stands, for POS.

Heather Stewart, President and CEO, apg

Top Chef at OneDine

A shift in leadership at loyalty/payments player OneDine (Plano, TX) has Ben Thein appointed as CEO. Also, Rom Krupp, Founder, will transition to Executive Chairman and lead the company's new innovation division, OneDine Labs. Most recently, Thein served as COO of drone delivery developer, Flytrex. Other roles have included VP of Operations at Mindspace and Head of Global Business Development at SodaStream.

"I'm thrilled to join OneDine as CEO," enthused Thein. "Our mission is to empower restaurants with technology that drives efficiency and elevates the guest experience. I look forward to building on OneDine's strong foundation to accelerate growth."

"Ben's operational expertise and growth mindset are exactly what OneDine needs in its next chapter," contributed Krupp. "As more customers depend on us and we become even more trusted in the industry, this structure allows me to deepen my focus on the innovation and strategic vision our customers value, while Ben ensures they receive the operational excellence that scale demands." As major focus for OneDine Labs: restaurant margins, labor efficiency, and EBITDA.

Ben Thein, CEO, OneDine