Our Product Pick

Touch Dynamic (South Plainfield, NJ) has unwrapped its Fusion Hybrid Tablet. An electronic lock secures the head unit to the base as an All-in-One POS; it releases with one button for portability. With 11.6" true-flat projected-capacitive touchscreen (LED LCD, 16:9, 1920x1080), the Fusion Tablet has Intel Elkhart Lake Celeron J6412 CPU at 2.6 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, Windows 10 IoT and Windows 11, and Intel HD Graphics. A suite of I/O ports in the base includes USB, Powered USB, Serial, Ethernet, and Cash Drawer. As wireless communications, there's 802.11 WLAN. As optional peripherals: card reader, barcode scanner, rear camera, biometric fingerprint reader, and RFID.

Touch Dynamic's Fusion Hybrid Tablet

COMPANY BUSINESS

HP Takes the Express

A concentrated effort in self-service kiosks has begun at HP (Palo Alto, CA), with the debut of its new family, entitled HP Engage Express. Incorporating the HP Engage One Pro All-in-One POS, Engage Express has three sizes of display: 15.6", 19.5", and 23.8" (in full-high-definition, anti-glare, projected-capacitive touch). A choice of countertop or full pedestal stands support orientation in portrait or landscape. A range of optional integrated peripherals includes large-capacity thermal printer, payment terminal, barcode scanner, biometric fingerprint reader, and bagging shelves.

A small footprint and sleek design for Engage Express are cited by HP. Its state-of-the-art computing extends up to 10th Generation Intel Core i9 CPU and, for remote management, optional Intel vPro functionality. A full suite of I/O ports supports configuration of HP Engage Express, including Serial, USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, and Power. As wireless communications, it offers Bluetooth 5/BLE and 802.11 WLAN.

In terms of O/S, HP Engage Express can support Windows, Linux, and Android. Also of interest, with its eye on self-service and interactive digital signage, HP has collaborated with Google (Mountain View, CA), which has certified Engage Express for Google's ChromeOS Flex O/S. In addition to Engage Express, HP has introduced its Engage Go 13.5"; this tablet may be used purely mobile or may be converted into fixed workstation by pairing with HP's Smart Dock. Engage Go 13.5" was released to complement the previously launched Engage Go 10".

HP Presents Its New Engage Express Self-Service Kiosk Family

A Quantum Theory at IPCMobile

A single-source enterprise payments platform, designated QuantumPay, has been unveiled by IPCMobile (the former Infinite Peripherals). It comprises the company's hardware, software, and "simplified pricing"--as well as "out-of-the-box" deployment via Rapid Development Kit (RDK). Also, if they prefer, customers may employ their chosen payment processor--otherwise, IPCMobile has processor relationships.

A family of four payment devices are offered for Contactless, EMV Chip Cards, and MSR: the Reader Series (module for smartphone or tablet); the Connected Series (sled with optional scanning and, for pass-through charging, Apple MFi Lightning); the PIN Series (portable device with keypad, color screen, and Bluetooth Wireless); and the Pro Series (portable device with 5" touchscreen, optional scanning, built-in receipt printing, and Android O/S). As security, IPCMobile has Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) and QuantumPay Key Injection Facility (KIF). A QuantumPay Portal leverages an IQ Software Suite for configuration, remote device management, and dashboard reporting on activity.

"Time is money--and QuantumPay is designed to help businesses do more with both," enthused Jeff Scott, Founder and CEO of IPCMobile (Irvine, CA). "This groundbreaking mobile point-of-sales platform is true to IPCMobile's roots, while also reflecting our desire to be at the forefront of the enterprise mobility market." Added Adam Miller, Director of Payments at IPCMobile, "The marketplace for implementing an enterprise mobile payments strategy typically requires multiple vendors. [With QuantumPay] IPCMobile simplified this by creating this single solution."

A Single-Source Enterprise Payments Platform, Named QuantumPay, Debuted by IPCMobile

Worth Your While

ProMat
MHI (Materials)
March 20-23
Chicago, IL

Shoptalk
Shoptalk Commerce LLC
March 26-29
Las Vegas, NV

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
April 24-26
Atlanta, GA

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 20-23
Chicago, IL

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association
July 30-August 1
Orlando, FL

FSTEC
Foodservice Tech/Winsight
September 13-15
Dallas, TX

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Partner Tech's Wow Factor

An industry first, cited by Partner Tech USA (Anaheim, CA), brings holography into the realm of POS. A new self-service kiosk by Partner Tech, called Bora Bora, now features an holographic display, with "mid-air interaction," from Holo Industries (Cottage Grove, OR). Also, Partner Tech has added holographic-enabled payments by Mastercard, which, similarly, employs "mid-air" entry of signature capture and PIN.

In 2019, Holo Industries brought to market its Holographic Touch. With this technology, users not only see the holograph--they can touch it, and pinch, scroll, spin, and manipulate any image. It employs patented holographic optical plastic and glass plates (by ASKA3D in Japan), in combination with software and Infra-Red (IR) Sensors. A family of API's (Application Programming Interfaces) address third-party utilization.

"Partner Tech is always looking to innovate and bring new technology to market and the holographic touch technology enables us to meet the increasing demand for contactless and sanitary self-service solutions," espoused Sandra Hsia, President of Partner Tech USA. "Not only does this technology provide a touch-free experience, but it also has a "wow factor" that offers new ways to engage with customers in the store. We are excited to partner with Holo Industries as we start to explore how this revolutionary technology can transform the retail experience."

Partner Tech's New Kiosk, Dubbed Bora Bora, Has Innovative "Mid-Air" Touchless Holographic Display

A Case of Citizen Systems

A protective housing, anti-microbial and disinfectant-ready, encases the new CL-H300SV thermal barcode printer by Citizen Systems America (Gardena, CA). A "passive kill" of germs results from silver-ion infused plastics, fulfilling the strict standard of ISO-22196. In compact, desktop dimensions, with integrated power supply, the CL-H300SV has maximum print width of 4"/102 mm, maximum print speed of 8"/200 mm per second at 203 dpi, and maximum roll diameter of 5"/125 mm.

As paper loading, there's "Hi-Lift" mechanism and "ClickClose." Additional features include single button control panel, label gap and black mark sensor, and upper and lower tear bar. In connectivity, Citizen Systems has added the triple communications standard of USB+Ethernet+802.11 WLAN. (Also offered: Serial, Ethernet, and Bluetooth with Apple MFi.)

"We want to add more value, especially with the focus on safety in all global markets," indicated Glenn Williams, VP of Sales, Marketing, and Product Management at Citizen Systems America. "We continue to provide the core features, functionality, and total cost of ownership values our customers expect, but also options for more clean-ready products when they require them." A pair of thermal receipt printers with this protective housing, Models CT-E301 and CT-E601, are offered by Citizen Systems America.

Citizen's CL-H300SV Thermal Label Printer

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Week of January 16

2022 Review of Highlights

Week of December 12

ALLIANCES

Elo Celebrates Freedom

A bundle of software and hardware combines the Next Level Commerce Platform from FreedomPay (Philadelphia, PA) and the M60 Pay Mobile Computer from Elo (Milpitas, CA). Accepting popular payment and loyalty cards, Elo's M60 Pay has built-in EMV, MSR, and NFC. As benefits, FreedomPay's Next Level Commerce Platform has unified commerce across properties, channels, and regions; contactless functionality; and security, loyalty, and business intelligence capacities.

Introduced in 2022, Elo's M60 Pay features 6" projected-capacitive touch display (1440x720), Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Octa-Core CPU at 2.2 GHz, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM, and Android 10 O/S with Global Mobile Services (GMS). A 4000 mAh Li-Polymer battery supplies 12 working hours. A family of models address communications--Bluetooth 5/BLE, 802.11 WLAN, and Cellular WAN--as well as barcode scanning.

"The M60 Pay makes decentralizing the checkout process and taking payments anywhere easy," expressed Craig Witsoe, CEO at Elo. "The partnership with FreedomPay will bring enhanced functionality and security to create a more personalized experience for consumers." Added Tom Durovsik, Founder and CEO of FreedomPay, "Consumers are continually looking for new payment functionality and greater customization."

A Bundle of FreedomPay's Next Level Commerce With Elo's M60 Pay Mobile Computer

New West Makes "Sense"

A tie between New West Technologies (Portland, OR) and SensePass (New York, NY) extends smartphone-based payment capabilities for Retail Management Hero (RMH) POS. It offers an entire roster of "quasi-cash" choices, including Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Trustly, and QR-based payments like WeChat and Alipay, in addition to support for conventional NFC. Also available are Buy Now/Pay Later (BNPL) options like Klarna and Crypto (e.g., Coinbase, BitPay, etc.).

As readers may recall, Retail Management Hero (Sonoma, CA) rolled out in 2016 as the replacement for the end-of-life Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS). A Microsoft Gold Partner, in 2021 New West was honored with RMH Partner of the Year, RMH Top Reseller, and RMH Individual Excellence Award. Going forward, in collaboration with SensePass, it will address retailers in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce, Finance & Operations, and Business Central. According to George Muchae, EVP of New West Technologies, the SensePass Payments Platform is "disruptive and revolutionary."

"At SensePass, we're always looking for new and exciting ways to help our customers stay competitive in today's fast-paced market," declared Moty Arcuschin, Co-Founder and CEO of SensePass. "We're confident that our innovative payments service will be a game-changer for retailers, and we're thrilled to be working with New West Technologies to bring this cutting-edge technology to the wider market." As "the wallet of wallets," SensePass started in 2017 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

A Partnership Between New West Technologies and SensePass Extends Payments for Retail Management Hero (RMH)

Code Corner

A path to "Retail POS Modernization" has been proposed by VMware (Palo Alto, CA). It combines enterprise-class virtual desktop infrastructure and unified endpoint management software by VMware with an endpoint management software by ISV Stratodesk (San Francisco, CA). A number of benefits are promoted: extended hardware lifecycles; maximized uptime; enhanced security; service and brand expansion; mobile POS and Pop-Up Shops; and simplified management of IT. "Point-of-sale is no longer simply the last point of customer engagement; it is a business process enabler," observed Ed Durbin, Senior Director of Retail Industry Solutions at VMware. "Retailers can't afford to be constrained by legacy POS systems that hinder execution of retail strategies. Our VMware Retail POS Modernization enables global retailers to leverage their current investments in retail POS technology to enable a better customer experience aligned with business strategy."

VMware Offers Retail POS Modernization

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Toshiba "Pops" into Biometrics

An embrace of facial verification for POS on the part of Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions (Research Triangle Park, NC), with integration of PopPay by PopID (Pasadena, CA). An AI-based software, PopPay will run on Toshiba's ELERA Commerce Platform. In the first offering, customers may scan items using the Pro-X Scanner in Toshiba's Pro-X Hybrid Kiosk, and then complete the transaction via the on-screen PopPay Button.

"Whether at restaurants, convenience stores, or in other retail segments, consumer interest in non-traditional payment methods is growing exponentially across the globe with regions previously dominated by cash leap-frogging card transactions into mobile payments," related Rance Poehler, President and CEO of Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions. "Even in the U.S., where card payments showed strong acceptance, the adoption of non-traditional payments has seen an uptick. We know the market is ready with Gen Z and Millennials trending in this direction."

Also, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions has moved into Latin America with its ELERA. A roll-out for membership warehouse club, PriceSmart, will replace its current legacy system; it includes new hardware and the TCxSky O/S from Toshiba. As participating partners, there's Rhiscom (Santiago, Chile) and GBM (San Jose, Costa Rica). Headquartered in San Diego, CA, PriceSmart operates 50 warehouse clubs in Latin America.

An Integration for Toshiba and PopID Brings Facial Verification to the POS

Ingenico Gets Its PPaaS on Klarna

A new strategic partnership brings the extensive banking portfolio--including Buy Now/Pay Later (BNPL)--of Klarna (Stockholm, Sweden) to the Payments Platform-as-a-Service (PPaaS) by Ingenico (Alpharetta, GA). Inaugurated at the end of 2021, Ingenico's PPaaS allows the choice, combination, and management of today's range of commerce services. As device agnostic, it enables partners--including banks, acquirers/gateways, and third-party ISVs--to activate features via API's (Application Programming Interfaces). For its part, Klarna has recently sharpened its focus on North America.

"Historically, change in the in-store payments experience has been slow," suggested Kristina Elkhazin, Head of North America for Klarna. "We see Ingenico's PPaaS as a significant accelerator that will allow us to bring Klarna's innovative payment solutions wherever customers want to shop, including on the shop floor. We're eager to bring retailers the confidence they have come to expect in payments that are processed on their existing infrastructure as well as the necessary integrations with other parts of their retail technology."

"The flexibility, ease, and speed of online shopping experiences is now transforming how consumers expect to shop in store," extrapolated Giulio Montemagno, GM of PPaaS for Ingenico. "How people pay is very much at the center of this transformation. Klarna has been an industry innovator in extending payment options to consumers online, and now it's doing that in-store. This brings value to both consumers and retailers."

Ingenico's Payments Platform-as-a-Service (PPaaS) Adds Klarna's Portfolio of Financial Services

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
Firich USA
HiStone
HP
Ingenico
Pioneer Solution
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
POS Nation
Sam4s/Shin Heung Precision
Star Micronics
Sunmi
Toshiba

Barcode Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
GoDEX Americas
Woosim Systems

Cash Drawers/Cash Handling
apg/APG Cash Drawer

Data Collection
Janam Technologies
MobileDemand
Star Micronics
Unitech America

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
Ingenico
North American Bancard
Payment Logistics

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

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
Star Micronics

INSTALLATIONS

American Eagle Lands on New ISV

A new commerce platform has been deployed by specialty retailer American Eagle Outfitters: JumpMind (Columbus, OH). A web- and microservices-based software, JumpMind may be delivered in thick or thin formats. It furnishes in-store POS, mobile POS, Scan-and-Go, and Self-Checkout. (As additional products, there's data integration software, called Metl, and data synchronization, called SymmetricDS, offered by JumpMind.)

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, the retailer has approximately 1,100 stores under three brands: American Eagle (880), Aerie (245), and Todd Snyder (5). In late 2022, American Eagle Outfitters completed the conversion to JumpMind POS in all of its American Eagle and Aerie stores in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Sites in Canada, Mexico, and Japan will go live in early 2023, according to the ISV/VAR.

"Our partnership with JumpMind offers our American Eagle and Aerie stores the flexibility of both a traditional and mobile POS, which provides an intuitive interface for a seamless checkout experience," relayed Susan Eshleman, SVP of Product Management and Technology Strategy at American Eagle Outfitters. "JumpMind's commitment to service and the development of flexible solutions to meet each of our store's unique needs has been integral in the successful launch of this important customer touchpoint." Added Joe Corbin, President and CEO of JumpMind, "With JumpMind, their in-store teams will be able to better serve their customers and provide differentiated experiences."

American Eagles Deploys JumpMind POS

A Peek at Bikky in Chicagoland

A roll-out of the customer data platform, Bikky (New York, NY), for the healthy fast-casual chain, Protein Bar & Kitchen. Established in 2017, Bikky aggregates customer data across all in-store and off-premise channels, including POS, online ordering, loyalty, reservations, and third-party delivery services. It claims insight into 80% of guests.

"We've been working toward a way to truly understand guest behavior, especially for folks outside of our loyalty program," reported Jared Cohen, COO of Protein Bar & Kitchen. "Previously, we had an incomplete view of key metrics for many of our guests. Bikky's platform helps us really understand how these differ for both loyalty and non-loyalty guests, and measure the true lifetime value of the majority of our guests. This data allows us to take actions to improve guest retention, frequency, and menu optimization."

With 12 current locations in the Chicago, IL, Area, Protein Bar & Kitchen has plans to expand via corporate, non-traditional, and franchise channels. In addition to Protein Bar & Kitchen, Bikky has restaurant clients such as Eggs Up Grill, Razzoo's, Westville, Boqueria, and 5 Napkin Burger. To date, Bikky has raised $9.8 million in funding.

Protein Bar & Kitchen Embraces Customer Data Platform by Bikky

Channel Factoid

Taking the Pulse

A Consumer View of Payments

-A wide majority of consumers, 84%, cite convenience as the top reason for why they use their preferred payment methods, and just under half, 49%, use these methods because they're the fastest.

-Over two-thirds of consumers, 69%, agree that they're "always excited to try out new payment technologies or capabilities." Younger consumers are even more likely to report such eagerness: 83% of consumers ages 18-24 (Gen Z) and 87% of consumers ages 25-40 (Millennials) agree or strongly agree.

-A similar two-thirds of consumers, 69%, have made in-person purchases using contactless payment technology in the past six months, as compared to 54% who have made in-person purchases using Buy Now/Pay Later (BNPL) and 36% who have used biometric-based payments.

-Almost half of consumers, 46%, find out about new payments technologies or capabilities from their bank or financial institution, while 38% learn about new payment technologies or capabilities from their credit or debit card issuer.

Source: "Payments Innovative Pulse Report," October 2022, by NMI (Schaumburg. IL)

A Ripple Effect in Payments Since the Pandemic

A Message From the Editor

We look forward to continuing our mission, and welcome your suggestions and thoughts on improvements. Wishing you and your family health, happiness, and prosperity in 2023!

Michael Kachmar, Editor

HELLO GOODBYE

Mr. Mojo at Mojix

An appointment to President and Chief Commercial Officer for Chris Cassidy at Mojix (Boca Raton, FL). Before joining the company, which provides supply chain traceability Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Cassidy served as EVP and Chief Revenue Officer at global logistics firm, Trax Technologies. Previously, he held positions at Garner, UPS, and GSK.

"Chris joins Mojix with more than 20 years of executive leadership in various supply chain management roles and brings deep domain expertise and a stellar track record working with leading global enterprises on digital transformation and supply chain optimization," commented Dan Doles, CEO at Mojix. "Chris is a recognized expert in supply chain management, logistics, and enterprise supply chain SaaS solutions, across customer operations, strategy, sales and marketing. We are delighted to partner with Chris to further our long-term strategic vision and provide value to our customers as a best-in-class item-level traceability platform for SaaS."

"Our aim is to continue leveraging maturing serialization and barcoding/RFID technology solutions with the purpose of driving smarter and intelligent insights," remarked Cassidy. "Through collaboration and innovation with our customers and strategic partners, our advances in bringing together the physical and financial data flows will empower global enterprise manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to improve visibility and traceability for optimized performance of their supply chain. Our times require both an agile and resilient supply chain to manage cost-to-serve and inventory assets."

Chris Cassidy, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Mojix

A Farewell by Lynn at Skurla POS

"My parents, John and Phyllis Skurla, started this business in 1976. They retired in the early 2000's and passed the baton to me. Now it is my turn to pass the baton and the Skurla's legacy to Thomas Greenman and Jesse Dison, as I am officially retiring from Skurla's at the end of January. It's a bittersweet moment for sure."

"My mom is so pleased (and I know my dad would be too) that I am keeping the business in "the family" because Thomas and Jesse have been integral to the success of this family business for decades. They have also been at the helm for over two years now, so I know that our customers are in great hands."

"Being a part of a family business is all I have really known for the last 46+ years. Forty-six years--wow, since I was 15 (you can do the math). It has been really difficult to separate the Skurla's from the Lynn, but over the last year or so, I have started to unravel it (although in some ways, Skurla's will always be a part of me)."

"So, now it is time for me to leave. The team is more than ready. I am so impressed and proud of all of them. I think of the business and the way it has changed and evolved over the years. I don't know what exciting things the future holds, but I know it will be amazing with them at the helm."

A Passing of the Baton by Pioneer Lynn Skurla of Skurla POS Solutions (Anchorage, AK). With Lynn: New Co-Owners Jesse Dison (At Left, Programmer/Trainer/Consulting) and Thomas Greenman (At Right, Former VP/Sales Manager, Now President)