Our Product Pick

Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ) has unveiled new wireless models in its popular thermal receipt printer mC-Print Series. It furnishes dual-band 802.11 WLAN at 2.4 GHz/5 GHz for two models: the 2"/50 mm mC-Print21W and 3"/80 mm mC-Print31W. As benefits, 2.4 GHz delivers wider network coverage, while 5 GHz reduces lag and interference in busy settings such as kitchens. In keeping with omnichannel needs, the mC-Print21W and mC-Print31W support iOS, Android, and Windows, as well as access to Star Micronics Cloud Services. As additional network hub, with Ethernet I/O, they support peripherals such as payment terminals, cash drawers, barcode scanners, and scales (and other printers). In small, cube-shaped formats, with splash-proof casing, they employ flat-print technology.

New Wireless Models by Star

COMPANY BUSINESS

Happy Hour at POS Nation

A deeper pour into one of the specialty retail segments for POS Nation (Charlotte, NC), with its recent purchase of ISV Bottle POS (Atlanta, GA). Started by liquor store owners, and now delivered as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Bottle POS utilizes automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance inventory management, including auto ranking of product preferences, generation of P.O.'s, and invoicing of received shipments. It also facilitates transition to e-commerce sales.

"We're excited to provide our liquor store customers with a modern, industry-specific solution that both streamlines operations and opens up new channels for customer marketing and revenue," relayed Cort Ouzts, President of POS Nation. "We'll be leveraging Bottle POS's technology to immediately improve our existing liquor offering." As readers will recall, POS Nation bought longtime channel and specialty retail ISV, with focus on the SMB, CAP Retail, in September 2020.

Added Kevin Patel, Founder of Bottle POS, and now VP of POS Nation, "We're delighted to be part of POS Nation. Our Bottle POS customers will continue to have the same team and support, while we expand to a much larger audience of liquor stores and continue to refine our software with new features and capabilities." Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the two parties.

POS Nation Purchases Bottle POS

A Mangrove at STCR

A shot of investment money for longtime grocery POS VAR, STCR Business Systems, Inc. (Endwell, NY). It comes from lower-middle-market private equity firm, Mangrove Equity Partners (Tampa, FL). It will be used to fund expansion of the company's team, technology, and infrastructure, according to STCR, which serves North America.

"We have been planning for this partnership and next chapter, and look forward to continuing our growth at STCR," shared Brian Tuberman, President of STCR. "Our entire team remains committed to servicing our existing customers, creating new relationships, and helping those in the grocery industry embrace new technologies to improve their business and operations." A consulting practice and merger and acquisition intermediary, specializing in retail IT, Prosperity Plus (King's Park, NY), served as an advisor to STCR throughout the transaction.

Established in 1967 by Lee Kirby and John Peck, and named as Southern Tier Cash Register, STCR was sold to Brian Tuberman in 2005. It focuses on independent and regional grocery. As primary vendors, it includes Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions (Durham, NC) and LOC Software (Laval, QC, Canada). It also has entered into the robotic stock-keeping arena via partnership with Badger Technologies (Nicholasville, KY).

Brian Tuberman, President, STCR

Worth Your While

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
April 12-14
Las Vegas, NV

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 21-24
Chicago, IL

NRF Supply Chain 360
National Retail Federation
June 20-21
Cleveland, OH

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association
July 24-26
Orlando, FL

VARTECH
BlueStar
September 12-14
Orlando, FL

FSTEC
Winsight
September 19-21
Dallas, TX

Channel Connect
ScanSource
October 2-5
Nashville, TN

MJBizCon
MJBizDaily
November 15-18
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Janam Fuels XM75+

Janam Technologies (Woodbury, NY) has unwrapped its new rugged mobile computer, designated XM75+. An enhancement to its XM Series, the XM75+ offers new O/S (Android 11), faster processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon Octa-Core at 2 GHz), more memory (3 GB/32 GB), increased battery power (4200 mAh Li-Ion), and upgraded Bluetooth (Version 5.1 BLE). It furnishes both numeric keyboard (backlight 24 keys) and 4.3" capacitive touchscreen (WVGA 480x800).

In dimensions of 3"/77 mm (W) x 6.5"/166 mm (L) x 1.2"/29 mm (D), weighing 10.5 oz./300 g, the XM75+ carries 1D/2D barcode scanner (Honeywell N3601SR), 8-MP rear-facing camera with Flash LED, and RFID/NFC. In addition to the Bluetooth, there's USB 2.0, 802.11 WLAN (including 2x2 Multiple-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, or MU-MIMO), GPS, and Cellular WWAN. As ruggedness, the XM75+ has an IP-67 rating for water and dust ingress and 5 ft./1.5 m drop resistance.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has put unprecedented pressures on the global supply chain," observed Harry Lerner, CEO of Janam Technologies. "Businesses of all types and sizes have been forced to reinvent their processes to address product and labor shortages, elevated customer expectations, and economic uncertainty. With Janam's continued focus on delivering the right features at the right price, XM75+ eliminates the need to choose between a keypad and touchscreen, providing flexibility to automate workflow, improve supply chain visibility, and increase efficiency and productivity."

Janam Technologies' New XM75+

Epson Storms Newcastle

A leading builder of industrial rolling carts, Newcastle Systems (Haverhill, MA), has added the printers from Epson America (Los Alamitos, CA). An entitled Mobile Powered POS Station, combining the two products, addresses the needs of retail and hospitality markets for mobile checkout--such as curbside pick-up, parking lot events, or garden centers--according to the two companies. An integrated power system--which eliminates need for extension cords or ceiling drops--accommodates up to four devices for eight hours of normal use.

"A pandemic has re-shaped the retail and hospitality market, creating a rapid shift in demand for quick and seamless checkout transactions, and leaving businesses with a need for durable and flexible POS solutions that better meet their customers' needs," remarked Frank Anzures, Product Manager, Business Systems, Epson America. "Epson receipt printers are designed to save much needed space and users can choose a model to be configured for tabletop or kiosk self-service use. Leveraging the printer with a Newcastle POS powered cart, retail and hospitality businesses are provided with a fully mobile line-busting solution their busy environments demand."

A full range of printers by Epson America are supported, including popular models for thermal receipts, such as OmniLink TM-T88, TM-m30II-NT, and TM-m50, as well as for labeling, such as the new OmniLink-L100. Also supported, inkjet printers by Epson America such as the ColorWorks and Workforce Pro WF-M5299. As one distributor, BlueStar has stocked the Mobile Powered POS Station with Epson America's TM-m30II-SL with Tablet Mount. Also, Newcastle targets warehousing and distribution, manufacturing, and healthcare.

A Mobile Powered Cart for POS

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Week of March 28

Week of March 7

Week of February 21

ALLIANCES

"Navi"gating Restaurant Inventory

A joint effort between two hospitality tech firms, Navi and The Fifteen Group, seeks to streamline restaurant inventory management. A resulting new software focuses on the three main areas that affect the restaurant's profitability, as cited by the two parties: "product cost control, labor cost control, and effective menu engineering." Available at present in Canada, subscription-based, it plans to launch in the U.S. in mid-2022. (Both firms are based in Toronto, ON, Canada.)

Users may enter data either directly through the desktop interface or mobile app (via barcode scanner). Included in the platform are margin pricing techniques and "QuaM Graphs," whereby users may optimize their menu "to deliver the maximum bottom-line profitability." Other key features include daily and weekly sales metrics, daily and weekly labor spend, and product cost trends--accessed through one central database.

"Effective cost control management is imperative to profitability in the restaurant industry--but every system out there is too complicated and cumbersome to use," proposed David Hopkins, President of The Fifteen Group. "We are changing that with Navi--we developed it to be incredibly simple to use while still providing meaningful insights for management. Navi provides key information in one-third of the time required by other inventory systems, and that is a big win."

A New Solution for Restaurant Inventory Management

Samsung Holds New ViewPoint

In order to further its kiosk efforts, Samsung Electronics America (Ridgefield Park, NJ) has called upon ViewPoint Interactive Solutions (Waltham, MA). An award-winning provider of visual design and custom software--focused on the user experience, or "UX"--ViewPoint Interactive Solutions works in "video, imagery, digital content, and state-of-the-art automation," It will deepen functionality in areas of endless aisles, in-store self-ordering, and POS, according to the two parties.

Samsung Electronics America debuted its family of retail kiosks in June 2021. In an all-in-one format, they include touchscreen display, thermal printer, credit-card terminal, barcode scanner, and NFC. As application development, an open-source, Linux-based O/S, powered by Samsung's Tizen, supports web-standard technologies (HTMLS, JavaScript, CSS).

"In our pursuit to build the most revolutionary technologies and capabilities to help brands enhance customer interactions and gain cost-and-time efficiencies, we enlist best-in-class partners," emphasized Chris Mertens, VP of U.S. Sales, Displays, at Samsung Electronics America. "The ViewPoint team brings exceptional creative vision and technical excellence that has strengthened our ability to make our kiosks more intuitive and flexible, and incorporate additional built-in tools and captivating, high-impact visuals." FYI: ViewPoint is part of Integrated Computer Solutions (ICS).

Samsung Engages ViewPoint Interactive Solutions for Kiosk Content Development

Code Corner

PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has published Version 4.0 of the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). It replaces Version 3.2.1, which will remain active until March 31, 2024. Examples of the changes in PCI DSS V4.0 include: (1) Updated firewall terminology to network security controls to support a broader range of technologies used to meet the security objectives traditionally met by firewalls. (2) Expansion of Requirement 8 to implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all access into the cardholder data environment. (3) Increased flexibility for organizations to demonstrate how they are using different methods to achieve security objectives. (4) Addition of targeted risk analysis to allow entities the flexibility to define how frequently they perform certain activities, as best suited for their business needs and risk exposure. More details of Version 4.0 may be found at the PCI SSC Website. "The industry has had unprecedented visibility into, and impact on, the development of PCI DSS V4.0," indicated Lance Johnson, Executive Director of PCI SSC (Wakefield, MA). "Our stakeholders provided substantial, insightful, and diverse input that helped the Council effectively advance the development of this version of the PCI Data Security Standard."

Release of PCI DSS Version 4.0

Vivid (Sausalito, CA), an integrated software and payments player, privately held, has launched its Vivid POS. An omnichannel platform, intended for restaurants, and, in particular, the SMB, Vivid POS offers scalability and customization. As processor-agnostic, it runs Android O/S. As hardware, Vivid has turned to Advanced Mobile Payment, Inc. (Richmond Hill, ON, Canada and Newport Beach, CA). A true common kernel embedded, AMP's terminals are EMV-Compliant. A bundled solution with Vivid POS was demonstrated at the recent Northeastern Acquirers Association (NEAA) Show in Philadelphia, PA.

Launch of Vivid POS

Vimaan (Santa Clara, CA) has showcased its new inventory management platform, called StorTRACK. Utilizing proprietary computer vision technology, it satisfies the needs of both e-commerce fulfillment centers with mezzanine level case or item-level storage, as well as large business-to-business distribution centers with high bay pallet and case storage, according to the ISV. It leverages sensors, cameras, computer vision algorithms, an integration layer for Warehouse Management System (WMS) and its app, ViewDeck. "StorTRACK is an inventory management platform that delivers the warehouse-floor 'truth' to the customer's WMS," proclaimed Philip Archambault, CRO at Vimaan. "This truth includes proactive alerts for discrepancies against the WMS, the validation of quantities or expiration dates of SKU's and part numbers, archived and searchable images of inventory locations, flagging of quality deficiencies such as damaged inventory, and highlighting safety hazards such as protruding pallets or damaged racks."

Vimaan Showcases StorTRACK

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

SpeedLine: Eight Slices

SpeedLine Solutions (Abbotsford, BC, Canada), perhaps the leading independent pizza POS ISV, has released its SpeedLine 8 with Cloud Reporting and Analytics. It enables store owners to see real-time reports of key restaurant metrics on any web-enabled device. A recent integration with DoorDash Drive, in addition, allows store owners to request the services of DoorDash drivers at peak delivery times.

"In the past two years, with the ongoing pandemic, we have seen much of our world advance digitally, and pizza is no different," counseled John deWolde, President and CEO of SpeedLine Solutions. "With SpeedLine 8, store owners can access their hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sales, promotions, and delivery performance in simple, easy-to-read dashboards and drill into the underlying data with a single touch anytime, anywhere. Multi-unit owners or franchisors can compare their store's performance in a single view."

"We believe that our company must continue evolving and advancing our products as the industry evolves, providing our customers with the tools for success in their business," continued deWolde. "We are proud that SpeedLine 8 will save pizzeria owners' time, helping them see deeper into their business metrics to support their decision-making, and helping to increase their profitability." Users can look forward to added fields on tickets, additional tip management choices, increased coupon functionality, and enhanced reporting features, said SpeedLine.

Cloud Reporting and Analytics Featured in New SpeedLine 8 POS Software for Pizza

The Store-as-Warehouse

Tecsys, Inc. (Montreal, QC, Canada) has infused micro fulfillment functionality, also called "store-as-warehouse," into its supply chain Omni Solution Suite. In this scheme, store associates act as "pickers" and are directed to all accessible inventory, whether in the back room or the showroom. It maintains visibility of all stock in stores and automatically updates inventory levels, including integration with the retailer's POS.

A store with micro fulfillment, similar to the warehouse environment, has its inventory positions mapped and presented to employees via handheld scanners/terminals. Optimized picking of sequences, as well as picking of several orders at the same time, may result in efficiency gains of up to 30%, according to Tecsys. Also, there's an opportunity for use of RFID or Auto Storage/Retrieval Systems (AS/RS).

"Most retail order management systems weren't set up with micro-fulfillment volumes or complexity in mind," suggested Bill King, CRO at Tecsys, "and most warehouse management systems weren't set up with co-mingling store associates and in-store shoppers in mind. Tecsys is giving retailers the ability to cater to a diverse network of customers, both digital and in-person, by leveraging their store locations as fully operational micro-fulfillment centers."

Tecsys Adds Micro Fulfillment to Its "Omni" Solution Suite

An ISV Seals the Deal

TouchBistro (Toronto, ON, Canada and New York, NY) has presented its newest capability, TouchBistro Marketing (CRM). It completes functionality with other elements of the restaurant management system by TouchBistro, including Online Ordering, Reservations, Loyalty, Payments, and of course, POS. As readers may recall, TouchBistro purchased marketing and loyalty software, TableUp, in August 2020.

With TouchBistro Marketing, restaurants may automate their marketing campaigns with custom promotions that can be redeemed in-venue or via online ordering, collect diner feedback, and create their own custom-branded web app. Examples of outreach include welcome e-mails for new guests, promotions that drive traffic during certain days and times, campaigns to boost sales of specific items, and updates about optional add-ons to increase check size. Led by Samir Zabaneh, CEO, TouchBistro now serves about 30,000 restaurants globally.

"As TouchBistro Marketing and Loyalty are automatically integrated, it is easy to send the right custom promotion to our customers at the right time," related Marco Ramirez, Owner of Esmeralda's 2.0 - The Best Mexican Restaurant in Eureka, CA. "As a result of our campaigns, customers have increased their average ticket size by as much as 30%. Some customers have even doubled their frequency of visits."

TouchBistro Releases TouchBistro Marketing (CRM)

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Aldelo
Electronic Payments
Elo
Epson America
FEC USA
HP
Ingenico
Pioneer Solution
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Revel Systems
Shift4
Star Micronics
Tri-Tech Retail

Barcode Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Godex Americas
Woosim Systems

Cash Drawers
apg/APG Cash Drawer
Star Micronics

Cash Handling Systems
apg/APG Cash Drawer
CIMA America

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Janam Technologies
MobileDemand
Unitech America

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
Ingenico
PAX Technology
Payment Logistics
Shift4

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

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
Gamber-Johnson

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo

INSTALLATIONS

A "Stretch" for Factor4

Factor4, LLC (Broomall, PA) has supplied its gift card technology to the fitness chain, Stretch Zone. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Stretch Zone has more than 200 sites in the U.S. Consumers may purchase e-gift and plastic gift cards from the company's website.

"We are pleased to announce our strategic partnership with Stretch Zone," commented Dan Battista, CEO of Factor4. "Due to our turnkey omnichannel solution and seamless process, we were able to get Stretch Zone up and running quickly with the use of our Gift Card Starter Kits that were distributed to all locations and our ability to set up their e-commerce presence immediately. We are committed to helping Stretch Zone increase revenue and attract new customers via our gift card solution."

Also, Factor4 has integrated its technology with payment hardware vendor, Nexgo (Laguna Hills, CA). The former ExaDigm, now part of XGD Group (Shenzhen Xinguodu Technology Co.), Nexgo's products include the Models N5 and N6. In addition to leading payment processors, Nexgo distributes via BlueStar, POS Portal/ScanSource, and The Phoenix Group/Ingram Micro. A leader in gift cards, founded in 2015, Factor4 partners with many leading gateways and hardware vendors. It offers its RewardOS API (Application Programming Interface) for POS.

A Gift Card for Fitness Chain the Stretch Zone From Factor4

Delphi Conjures Tacos

Delphi Display Systems (Costa Mesa, CA) has been chosen as the exclusive provider of digital menu technology for fast-casual restaurant chain, Fuzzy's Taco Shop. Founded in 2013 near Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, Fuzzy's Taco Shop has 150 franchise- and corporate-owned locations in the Southern and Midwest U.S. It will implement the Insight Engage 3.0 Content Management System (CMS) by Delphi Display Systems, with integration with the POS.

"We are very happy to be working with Delphi as our digital menu partner," expressed Leo Aguilar, VP of Technology for Fuzzy's Taco Shop. "After evaluating several providers, we selected Delphi because of their robust and easy-to-use Content Management System (CMS), POS integration capabilities, and their responsive sales and support team." FYI: Rafael Klatil serves as Senior Director, Sales and Business Development, at Delphi Display Systems.

In another step, by Delphi Display Systems, has partnered to supply drive-thru menu ordering in conjunction with Toast POS (Boston, MA). In this case, Toast will draw upon Delphi's Insight Order Confirmation Platform. "Our combined technologies create a better together solution that improves order accuracy and helps restaurants thrive with drive-thru operations," proposed Keith Corbin, Director of Business Development at Toast. At present, Delphi has 40,000 locations in QSR.

Delphi Display Systems Selected by Fuzzy's Taco Shop

Channel Factoid

A Checklist
on Grocery Shoppers

How They Buy

40%: Only In-Person/In-Stores
47%: Mostly In-Person/In-Stores
11%: Mostly Online
2%: Only Online

Technologies They Prefer

47%: Great Loyalty Program
39%: Self-Checkout
25%: Great Mobile App
20%: Great Website
11%: Cashier-Less/Walk-Out
10%: Electronic Sign/Shelf Tags
9%: Great Social Media
5%: Robot Clean/Inventory
10%: None of These Are Key

Promotions They Like

31%: Specials Same In-Store/Online
31%: Digital Coupons for In-Store
23%: In-Store Product Sampling
20%: Personalized Coupons
18%: Custom In-App Coupons
16%: Coupons on Receipts
15%: Only In-Store Specials
12%: Printed Flyer
11%: None of These Are Key

Source: "What Brick-and-Mortar Grocery Shoppers Really Want" by Advantage Sales (Irvine, CA).

Nine Out of Ten Shoppers (87%) Buy Their Groceries Mostly or Only In-Person

A Message From the Editor

As we progress through another year--our 18th!--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

HELLO GOODBYE

The Brady Bunch

Brady Corporation (Milwaukee, WI), best known for safety, security, and labeling products, has named Russell Shaller, currently its SVP and President of Identification Solutions, as its new President, CEO, and Director. He follows retirement, on April 1, of J. Michael Nauman, former President, CEO, and Director. Mr. Shaller joined Brady in 2015; previously, he was President of Teledyne Microwave Solutions.

"Brady's people, products, and expertise create a strong foundation to accelerate growth and continue to reposition our portfolio," declared Shaller. "I am eager to build out our recent acquisitions and to continue to drive efficiency improvements throughout the organization. The strong foundation built by Michael, the positive momentum within our business, and the favorable trends within the broader industry make me incredibly positive about the outlook for our company and our stakeholders. I look forward to leading Brady as we continue our expansion into faster-growing end markets."

As readers will recall, Brady purchased identification products supplier Magicard Ltd. (Weymouth, UK) in May 2021 and channel player, scanner manufacturer Code Corporation (Salt Lake City, UT) in June 2021. Also, it recently entered into an agreement to license the "global shutter" barcode-reading technology from Honeywell (Charlotte, NC). "For many years, companies, including Brady, relied on 'rolling shutter' technology in barcode scanners," noted Shaller. "Honeywell's patented 'global shutter' technology has significant advantages, including improved motion tolerance, faster barcode reading, and increased versatility." Brady will pay an annual royalty to Honeywell.

Russell Shaller, President, CEO, and Director, Brady Corporation

GoTab Makes Reservation

GoTab (Arlington, VA), seeking to expand its restaurant commerce platform into the hotel segment, has enlisted Deborah Tappan as its Director of Hospitality Management. A veteran of hotel operations at major names such as the Colonnade, Revere, Loews, Boston Harbor, and Four Seasons (all in Boston, MA), Tappan holds the title of Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). She was named as the 2021 President-Elect of the Boston Chapter of the HSMAI.

"I'm thrilled to join GoTab and introduce its innovative platform to hotel properties," enthused Tappan. "There are so many opportunities to modernize systems within the hospitality industry and to utilize GoTab's technology for guest amenity programs, in-room dining, common indoor and outdoor spaces, rooftop bars, etc. Options are endless." Ramped up in 2016, GoTab processes $250 million in transactions yearly.

Deborah Tappan, Director of Hospitality Management, GoTab

It's Fun to Stay at the RSPA

A pair of personnel announcements by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (Charlotte, NC). First, Chris Arnold, Marketing Communications Manager since 2019, has been promoted to the new position of Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. Second, Kathy Meader, VP of Member Education Services, has earned designation as a Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM) from the Training Institute, Inc. (Raleigh, NC).

"Chris is an excellent fit for this new role, and his efforts have certainly earned him a spot as a leader on Team RSPA," stated Jim Roddy, President and CEO of the RSPA. "Chris exemplifies the servant-leader approach when he's working with our members, our industry partners, or his RSPA colleagues. I'm looking forward to him continuing to make a positive impact in the retail IT channel."

"Kathy has led RSPA education to new heights, and her taking the initiative to earn this certification is another step forwards," continued Roddy. "Member feedback about education at our events and online has been very positive during Kathy's tenure, and this is another signal to our community that the RSPA will continue to lead the way in retail IT VAR and ISV education." Meader joined the RSPA in 2018; earlier in her career, she served as Senior Manager of Strategic Programs, Hospitality Channel, at NCR and HR Manager at Radiant.

At the Retail Solutions Providers Association: Chris Arnold, Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships, and Kathy Meader, VP of Member Education Services