Our Product Pick

Citizen Systems America (Torrance, CA) has introduced its new pair of thermal receipt printers, the CT-E301 and CT-E601, which feature germ-resistant, disinfectant-ready casings. Measuring 4.9"/125 mm (W) x 6.5"/165 mm (D) x 4.3"/108 mm (H), weighing 2.6 lbs./1.2 kg, the CT-E301 and CT-E601 have paper widths of 3"/80 mm and 2"/58 mm, and top-exit configuration. Model CT-E301 has maximum print speed of 9.8"/250 mm per second at 203 dpi. Model CT-E601 has maximum print speed of 13.8"/350 mm per second at 203 dpi. A new anti-curl function is standard, with choices of USB, Serial, and Ethernet for CT-E301, and additional Bluetooth with Apple MFi, WLAN, and Lightning for CT-E601. "We are extremely pleased to offer these new, highly functional and value-added point-of-sale products at a time when they are needed by our user base," stated Glenn Williams, VP of Sales, Marketing, and Product Management for Citizen Systems America.

Citizen's CT-E301 and CT-E601 Printers

COMPANY BUSINESS

Brother Fuels RuggedJet

Brother Mobile Solutions (Westminster, CO) has unveiled its new thermal mobile printer, RuggedJet RJ-3200. A number of enhancements are cited, including more power (ASIC CPU), longer lasting battery (3000 mAh Li-ion), and greater durability (IP-54, 6 ft./1.8 m drop resistance, 1,000 tumbles from 3.3 ft./1 m). A Model RJ-3230BL has USB, Bluetooth 5/BLE with Apple MFi. A Model RJ-3250WBL adds 5 GHz WLAN and AirPrint. As O/S, there's support for Windows, Android, and iOS.

In dimensions of 4.6"/117 mm (W) x 3"/77 mm (H) x 7.1"/180 mm (D), RuggedJet RJ-3200 weighs 28.5 oz./807 g. It furnishes paper width of 3"/80 and 2"/58 mm and maximum print speed of 5"/127 mm per second at 203 dpi. An LCD display, gap/bar media sensors, double tearbars, and belt clip are included as standard features. (FYI: Brother Mobile has also partnered with barcode software developer, Teklynx.)

"Customers have come to expect more, and down-time is no longer an option for a business or its technology solutions," observed David Crist, President of Brother Mobile Solutions. "Retailers, for instance, have to adapt more quickly to pricing and inventory changes, or a lot more variation in where and how customer transactions are handled. The new RuggedJet RJ-3200 is a connectivity powerhouse that allows users to quickly connect and stay connected. At the same time, the printers are durable, simple, and light enough to keep up with even the busiest associates on the floor, in the stock room, and anywhere else."

New RuggedJet 3200 Thermal Printer by Brother Mobile Solutions

RMH Takes Its "Place"

Retail Management Hero (Napa, CA) has snapped up online booking and e-marketing software developer, PlaceFull (Seattle, WA). It will continue to be sold as a standalone software offering, and it will be available as an integrated solution for customers of RMH POS (at an additional charge). Since 2016, RMH, and its Authorized Partner Network, has served the market of small-to-midsized retailers (the SMB) as the intended replacement for the end-of-life (in July 2021) Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (Microsoft RMS).

"Effective customer engagement has never been more important for retailers than now," expressed Jeff Riley, CEO of Retail Management Hero. "Our customers are looking for new and innovative ways to get consumers into their places, without having to develop customized solutions or experimenting with unproven marketing strategies. Adding PlaceFull to our product portfolio addresses these needs in a cost-effective way that is easy to implement."

"Addition of PlaceFull to RMH creates new revenue opportunities for our customers," continued Riley. "Whether they offer classes, special events, tickets, reservations, repairs, or shopping by appointment. PlaceFull's booking platform complements RMH's point-of-sale and inventory features with a whole new category of customer engagement and e-commerce capabilities." Ryan Hamlin started PlaceFull in 2012.

Retail Management Hero Buys PlaceFull for Booking

Worth Your While

Bar & Restaurant Expo
Questex LLC
March 21-23
Las Vegas, NV

Shoptalk
Shoptalk Commerce LLC
March 27-30
Las Vegas, NV

Modex
Modern Materials Handling
March 28-31
Atlanta, GA

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

FSTEC
Winsight
September 19-21
Dallas, TX

MJBizCon
MJBizDaily
November 15-18
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Datalogic: Lettuce Help You

Datalogic (Eugene, OR) has unwrapped its new camera accessory, entitled the "TDi" for "Top Down imager," to be used with its popular Magellan 9800i Bi-Optic Multi-Plane Scanner. It captures clear color images which may be fed into software for Machine Learning (ML) or Artificial Intelligence (AI), thereby improving produce identification at the checkout. It reduces such produce identification time, commonly problematic, down from 15 to 2 seconds, according to Datalogic.

Magellan's 9800i TDi measures 7"/17.8 cm high. It utilizes the same form factor as the barcode Magellan TDR (Top Down Reader). Like the TDR, the Magellan TDi is easily retrofittable to existing installations of the Magellan 9800i. It features compatibility with third-party software applications via interface protocol for USB Video Camera (or UVC).

As an added benefit, the Magellan 9800i TDi employs white light illumination synchronized with the red laser illumination in the base scanner. Not only does it provide perfectly captured images, noted Datalogic, but it also assists by recognizing items enclosed within transparent or semi-opaque bags. Additionally, the 9800i TDi can be co-located with an existing 9800i TDR in the Magellan 9800i Bi-Optic Multi-Plane Scanner.

Datalogic's TDi (Top Down imager) for Produce Identification at Checkout (At Left of the Magellan 9800i Scanner)

KOAMTAC Kits KDC80

KOAMTAC Inc. (Princeton, NJ) has unboxed its new barcode scanner module, designated the KDC80. An entry-level replacement for the company's KDC200, it features upgrades of Bluetooth BLE/5, enhanced laser or CCD engine, and Type-C USB. Additional functions include 5 MB RAM, rechargeable 200 mAh Lithium-polymer battery, and NFC pairing for Android (also with support for iOS, Mac OS X, and Windows).

Physically, the KDC80 is compact and lightweight, measuring less than two cubic inches in volume and weighing only 1.2 oz./4 g. As such, it may be worn on lanyard for an entire shift or stored in the user's pocket. Like its predecessor, the KDC80 carries an OLED screen and LED indicators to relay scanning feedback to the user. It comes with KTSync Application Software and access to the KOAMTACON Mobile Device Management Suite.

"The KDC200 has positioned KOAMTAC at the forefront of the Auto Identification industry since its announcement in 2008. It's time to pass the torch to the KDC80, [which has been] upgraded to the next level," proclaimed Hanjin Lee, CEO at KOAMTAC. "In regard to the KDC80, our goal was to provide significant performance and utility enhancements over its predecessor, while remaining at a cost-effective price point."

New KDC80 Barcode Scanner by KOAMTAC

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Week of January 10

Year in Review 2021

Week of December 20

ALLIANCES

Retail Pro "Opts" In

A partnership for omnichannel sales and marketing has been formed by longtime POS ISV, Retail Pro (Folsom, CA) and customer loyalty firm, OptCulture (Houston, TX). As its goal, this new solution, straightforwardly called OptCulture Marketing for Retail Pro, cites the creation of "digitized brand experiences" across both brick-and-mortar and online. Early adopters include Wakefield's/Martin's, Earthbound Trading Company, and PetPeople.

"OptCulture Marketing for Retail Pro will offer specialty retailers worldwide a streamlined way to unify their omnichannel loyalty experience and brand communications by acting on insights from the deep data available in Retail Pro POS," related Benji Gault, OptCulture Director. "Information from in-store transactions captured in Retail Pro is collated with a customer's online shopping details in OptCulture Marketing to ensure retailers have a full picture of their shoppers' needs and can offer tailored promotions and communications based on their actual interactions with the brand."

"Our team at Retail Pro International has a 35-year track record of always pushing ahead to anticipate progress in retail strategy and provide the technology innovations and partnerships that will boost our clients' competitive edge," relayed Kerry Lemos, Retail Pro CEO. "This omnichannel marketing offering is the latest addition to the advanced technology stack we offer for retailers as they accelerate their digital transformation efforts." As ISV, Retail Pro focuses on the mid-market.

A Partnership for Omnichannel Sales and Marketing Between Retail Pro and OptCulture

Snacking on Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe, Inc. (Malvern, PA), which focuses on payments in the unattended retail market, has announced general availability of the Yoke platform for POS. A possible replacement for vending machines, as well as simple retail, it now delivers an upgraded customer interface, enhanced promotion opportunities, new loyalty program, and push notifications. As many readers will recall, Cantaloupe purchased Delicious Nutritious LLC (dba Yoke Payments) in August 2021.

As compared to snack and beverage machines, Yoke reduces cost by 50%, according to Cantaloupe. With this release, its kiosk, Yoke POS, now runs Android, with more durable metal enclosure, the functionality of QuickScan, and LTE SIM Card. As checkout, consumers may employ their smartphones, via Yoke Pay. In addition, there's web-based kiosk management through Yoke Portal. Lastly, there's integration to third-party solutions for route scheduling, inventory management, and back-office efficiencies through Seed Technologies (Tulsa, OK).

"Our goal was to rethink what a micro market could be," asserted Michael Johnson, VP and GM of Micro Markets for Cantaloupe, Inc. "Demand for a frictionless shopping experience is growing. Traditional retailers are turning to the unattended retail market for solutions that will translate easily in the most cost-effective manner possible. This was our motivation behind the new enhancements to the Yoke platform."

Cantaloupe Offers Its Yoke Platform for Unattended Retail

Code Corner

Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions (Research Triangle Park, NC) has expanded its ELERA Unified Commerce Platform. Introduced in January 2021, Toshiba's ELERA draws together microservices, data solutions, and hardware touchpoints (including POS, Self-Service, and IoT). As one highly integrated platform, it emphasizes agility, interconnectivity, and adaptability--for both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce. Its new release has more than 45 native microservices, API-first development (via 550+ Application Programming Interfaces), and low code/no code self-enablement tools. It also supports Toshiba's TCx EDGE camera camera now powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). "Retailers cannot accelerate their transformation when they're saddled with decades old technology and hundreds of custom-developed integrations that require huge resources to maintain," explained Rance Poehler, President and CEO of Toshiba GCS. "ELERA is a game changer that spells the end of their technology debt and provides a modular foundation that frees them to transform their businesses at a speed that was never before possible."

ELERA Unified Commerce Platform by Toshiba GCS

A Message From the Editor

As we enter 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. Happy New Year.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Sun Also Rises at GS1

A "Barcode Capabilities Test Kit," for easing the transition of product labeling from linear, 1D Universal Product Codes (UPC) to data-rich 2D Codes, has been published by GS1 US (Ewing, NJ). As part of "Sunrise 2027 - A New Dimension in Barcodes," as this evolution has been dubbed and driven by GS1, it allows the retailer to assess technology readiness--hardware and software--for both dual (UPC+2D) and single (2D) marketing scenarios. It covers both point-of-sale and supply chain.

"Global retailers, brands, and solution providers have been moving toward the use of 2D barcodes to provide consumers with detailed product information and transparency," remarked Carrie Wilke, SVP, Standards and Technology, GS1 US. "However, there are many other supply chain benefits, including improved inventory management, recall readiness, sustainability, ethical sourcing, product authentication, and brand trust." Added Marcia Mendez, Senior Program Manager, Walmart, "Ultimately, suppliers will likely drive this evolution as they increasingly label their products with 2D barcodes; however, retailers will need to ensure that not only can they scan 2D barcodes, but also read and ingest the data, which we've learned are two very different capabilities [through pilot testing at three national retailers]."

As supporting resources, GS1 US has developed its GS1 Digital Link, which allows consumers to scan web-enabled barcodes for brand-authorized content. Additional resources include the GS1 US Advanced Data Carriers at Point-of-Sale - Getting Started Guide. A neutral global standards body, GS1 will continue its efforts with industry stakeholders to "create requirements, conduct testing, analyze results, and provide recommendations" for this transition from UPC to 2D. Also participating: the University of Memphis AIDC Laboratory in Tennessee.

A Barcode Capabilities Test Kit From GS1

A Maverick's Gift Cards

Maverick Payments (Calabasas, CA) has embraced omnichannel gift and loyalty card functionality from Factor4 (Broomall, PA). Established in 2015, with wide relationships with FinTech and POS, Factor4 offers its RewardOS API (Application Programming Interface). A longtime player in payment processing, and family-owned, Maverick Payments addresses the channel of VARs, ISVs, ISOs, and Merchant Sales Agents.

"We are delighted to partner with Maverick Payments to enable their merchants to sell gift cards in-store, online, and via mobile devices on one platform," indicated Dan Battista, CEO of Factor4. "We are the only gift card provider connected with Maverick's robust payments systems. This is a huge benefit to their merchants because they can now seamlessly sell plastic and e-gift cards on Shopify and WooCommerce."

"We are pleased about Factor4 partnering with Maverick Payments, which enables our network of agents to easily leverage Factor4's solution," emphasized Ben Griefer, COO of Maverick Payments. "[Now] merchants boarded through Maverick have this ready solution for gift cards. The combination of expertise, customer service, and cutting-edge technology that Factor4 offers clients--combined with the fast onboarding of the Maverick Dashboard--is a huge win for sales agents."

Maverick Payments Embraces Factor4 Gift Cards

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

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
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

Presto: Playing Checkers With AI

A step into Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the hospitality industry, with quick-service restaurant chain Checkers & Rally's calling upon vendor Presto (Redwood City, CA). An exclusive automated voice ordering solution for drive-thru with AI by Presto will be implemented in 900 locations of Checkers & Rally's throughout the U.S. It follows successful pilot testing in 2021 in which over 98% of such drive-thru orders were completed with "minimal intervention from restaurant employees."

"Checkers & Rally's is the pioneer of the double drive-thru restaurant model, so our decision to again lead the industry with the largest rollout of an AI-based voice assistant solution should be no surprise," suggested Frances Allen, President and CEO of Checkers & Rally's (Tampa, FL). "We are excited about this new era in partnership with Presto, a leader in the restaurant hospitality technology field. As a company, we embrace technology that will help our team members maximize time and efficiency while making their jobs easier and more enjoyable, creating a better experience for them as well as our guests."

In addition to its advanced speech recognition technology, developed in conjunction with Hi Auto (Tel Aviv, Israel), Presto puts forth server handhelds, pay-at-the-table systems, and self-service kiosks. It was founded at M.I.T in 2008, with installs at many of the top twenty restaurant chains in the U.S. With recent funding, from Ventoux CCM Acquisition Corp., Presto plans to go public and also change its name to Presto Technologies.

Checkers & Rally's Deploys Drive-Thru AI Voice Assistant by Presto

A Pockyt-Full of Currencies

Delaware North, one of the leading global hospitality, sports, and entertainment companies, with more than 200 venues, has enlisted the services of Pockyt to accept contactless cross-border payments via QR Codes. A next-generation omnichannel checkout platform, Pockyt supports 14 major digital wallets, including PayPal, Alipay, Venmo, and WeChat Pay, as well as alternative payment methods such as UnionPay and Klarna. It was founded in 2017 as Yuansfer (the Yuan representing the official currency of the People's Republic of China).

"Whether it's a visit to an airport, sports venue, national park, hotel, or restaurant, providing a guest with the very best experience is key," proposed Jeff Wilkinson, CIO at Delaware North (Buffalo, NY). "We chose Pockyt because of their focus on alternative digital payments and the quantity of options we can offer our customers with one single integration. Pockyt seamlessly connects to our retail, food and beverage, and property management systems--such as Oracle's Xstore POS, Oracle's Simphony, Oracle's Opera, and SpotOn Appetize."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Delaware North to offer their millions of customers a safe, reliable, and convenient way to pay for goods and services," enthused Mason Lin, CEO and Founder of Pockyt (New York, NY). "By removing payment friction, Pockyt allows all businesses to deeply connect with a high value, untapped global customer base of over two billion people who engage digitally with brands and venues." Earlier, Pockyt raised $5 million series seed funding from investors such as Panoramic Ventures, Candou Ventures, MVB Bank, Gaingels, and Imagination Capital.

Pockyt Furnishes Omnichannel Digital Currency Platform for Sports and Entertainment Venues Run by Delaware North

Channel Factoid

Follow the Money

(Tracking Transactional
Revenues in U.S. $Billions)

-Banks
2020: 342
2025: 447
2030: 561

-Alternative Payment Methods
2020: 78
2025: 188
2030: 313

-Merchant Services Providers
2020: 141
2025: 167
2030: 212

-Card Networks
2020: 71
2025: 98
2030: 125

-Third Party Processors
2020: 42
2025: 57
2030: 84

-Terminals
2020: 17
2025: 22
2030: 26

Source: "Payments 2025 & Beyond" by PricewaterHouse Coopers.

Payment Growth Everywhere Through 2030

Well Done (Bien Hecho!), Rebeca

TSC Printronix Auto ID (Brea, CA) has named Rebeca Portela, former Territory Manager, as its new Director of Sales for Latin America (LATAM). "With her extensive experience in the AIDC industry, and working as a successful Territory Manager for TSC since 2018, we are confident she is the right leader to help us solidify growth in Latin America," testified Kevin Aie, CEO, Americas, for TSC Printronix Auto ID. "Her ability to create and execute strategic plans, her proven TSC track record and channel expertise, combined with her AIDC industry knowledge, will help us build a strong foundation for future growth."

Rebeca Portela, Director of Sales for Latin America, TSC Printronix Auto ID

HELLO GOODBYE

Bixolon Votes Veep

Bixolon America (Gardena, CA) has promoted Mark Hernandez to VP of Thermal Printing Solutions. He joined the company as Director of AIDC Solutions in April 2016, and became Senior Director of Thermal Printing Solutions in January 2021. Earlier, he served as Senior Product Manager for Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (Metrologic Instruments) and Director of Specialty Products for Oki Data Americas.

"I am honored and privileged to transition into this new role and join our leadership team at Bixolon America," shared Hernandez. "The industry is experiencing accelerated change and disruption considering the global pandemic and supply chain challenges. More than ever, our customer base can rely on Bixolon America to help them navigate and alleviate the difficulties they may be facing. We're focused and committed to using and evolving our technology, solutions, and supply chain efficiency to elevate the support we provide our strategic partners and customer base."

Mark Hernandez, VP of Thermal Printing Solutions, Bixolon America

A Salesman of Valor

Valor PayTech (Flushing, NY) has engaged 30-year payments industry veteran Marty McMullian as its Director of Sales. His resume includes, in chronological order, Sales Director at Hypercom, VP of Sales at OTI America, VP of Global Sales at RS Software, VP of Sales at Charge Anywhere, Senior Sales Consultant at PAX Technology, and Senior Sales Executive at Sound Payments. Established in 2019, Valor PayTech focuses on payments/POS, and solicits VARs, ISVs, ISOs, and MSPs.

"Marty has tremendous payments industry knowledge, expertise, and connections," commented Eric Bernstein, COO of Valor PayTech. "We are overjoyed to add another high-caliber payments professional in our pursuit to aggressively drive growth and expansion."

"I have known Marty for many years and witnessed his success in helping payments companies thrive," reflected O.B. Rawls IV, Strategic Advisor and Board Member of Valor PayTech. "Marty is a fantastic advisor to the first-class team Valor is assembling."

"Valor PayTech's cutting-edge technology is the future of payments," declared McMullian. "I am thrilled to help resellers and their merchants improve how they run their businesses with an extraordinary end-to-end product set that creates revolutionary value."

Marty McMullian, Director of Sales, Valor PayTech