Our Product Pick

Cognex Corporation (Natick, MA) has introduced its new industrial handheld barcode scanner, the DataMan 8700LX. With high-speed liquid lens, red illumination, and autofocus, it extends depth-of-field and reads difficult or damaged labels, including Direct Part Mark (DPM). In corded and wireless versions, it provides built-in OLED display which simplifies set-up and operator feedback. A broad range of industrial protocols and communication methods are offered, with support for Windows 7 and 10 O/S. "Our DataMan 8700LX puts industrial-grade label reading in the palm of your hand, with a rugged design that withstands the most demanding manufacturing environments," observed Matt Moschner, VP of ID Products and Platforms at Cognex.

Cognex DataMan 8700LX Scanner

COMPANY BUSINESS

Fortis Gets Fortified

An interesting consolidation in payment processing sees Payment Logistics (La Jolla, CA) purchased by Fortis (Novi, MI). Established in 2003, Payment Logistics addresses integrated payments via VARs and ISVs. Its Founder and CEO, Dustin Niglio, will continue to lead his team as part of Fortis. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We started Payment Logistics to provide the technology that retail and hospitality businesses need in this rapidly evolving electronic payment processing industry," reflected Niglio. "Fortis is growing quickly and investing in innovation, so joining the Fortis team is the logical next step toward realizing our founding vision. I look forward to working with the combined team to accelerate transformation across the market." As its payment framework, Payment Logistics has PayOps.

"Dustin and his team are one of the most innovative groups we've worked with to-date," noted Greg Cohen, CEO of Fortis. "This acquisition strengthens our existing tools and infrastructure at Fortis, enabling us to amplify our tech stack for software partners and extend our suite of popular integrations for businesses. Additionally, it improves our ability to enhance the merchant and customer experience with embedded payments." Active in acquisitions over the past few years, Fortis has surpassed $20 billion in transaction volume in 2022, an 80% increase from 2021.

Fortis Acquires Payment Logistics

Shift4 Plays in the Sandbox

An online payments platform with enhanced e-commerce capabilities and developer tools has been launched by Shift4. It allows businesses to create an individual customer checkout form for their website, with support for 24 languages, 160 currencies, and all major credit card types. It also supports a wide range of payment scenarios, including one-time payments, recurring payments and subscriptions, hybrid billing models with both one-time fees and subscription costs, and variable billing for pay-per-use or pay-per-user business models.

"Our new online payments platform delivers a truly unmatched solution that can support even the largest and most complex e-commerce merchants around the world," exclaimed Mike Russo, CTO at Shift4. "Built by developers for developers, our platform enables seamless web and mobile payments with a simple and flexible integration, powerful management tools, and the highest level of security." It includes Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and Software Development Kits (SDKs), with, for testing, Sandbox Mode.

Also, Shift4 has announced it will move its headquarters from Hanover Township to Upper Saucon Township in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania in Q2 2023. It will occupy 75,000 sq. ft. at the Dun & Bradstreet Building at 3501 Corporate Parkway in Center Valley, according to WFMZ-TV News. With over 2,000 employees, in total, Shift4 has approximately 600 employees in the Lehigh Valley.

A New Online Payments Platform by Shift4

Worth Your While

2023

NRF Big Show
National Retail Federation
January 15-17
New York, NY

RSPA Inspire
Retail Solutions Providers Association
January 23-26
Clearwater Beach, FL

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

ALL IN THE FAMILY

MobileDemand Puts Extra in xTablet

An enhanced rugged, enterprise-grade tablet has been unveiled by MobileDemand (Cedar Rapids, IA). Assigned as xTablet T1185, in dimensions of 11.2"/283 mm (W) x 7.6"/192 mm (H) x 0.9"/22 mm (D), weighing 3.2 lbs./1.5 kg, it features an Intel N Series Premium N6415 Quad-Core CPU, which has 60% more processing power than the Intel 8th Generation Core i5-8200Y CPU included in the xTablet T1180. A high-resolution 10.1" 550 NIT multi-touch capacitive display (1920x1200) fits both indoor and outdoor environments.

It comes standard with Windows 11 Professional O/S, with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB Flash. In networking, it provides Bluetooth 5.1, 802.11 WLAN, GPS, LTE WAN, and RFID/NFC. A full suite of ports includes 2 x USB Type A 3.0, Micro SIM Card, and RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet. As readers, there's an integrated 1D/2D barcode scanner (Honeywell 2D N6703) and camera (front: 2 MP; rear: 8 MP; 3D Intel RealSense D455).

In ruggedness, the xTablet T1185 has an IP-65 rating for water and dust, 5 ft./1.5 m drop resistance, and environmental MIL-STD-810G. A glove-fitting back-hand strap and briefcase-style handle make the xTablet T1185 easy to carry and hold. A snap mount plate--with "Quick Release"--addresses countertops, carts, walls, forklifts, and vehicles.

MobileDemand Unveils Rugged xTablet T1185

Datalogic: Joya to the World

A new member of the self-shopping device family has been unwrapped by Datalogic (Eugene, OR). In smartphone size of 5.7"/145 mm (L) x 3"/77 mm (W) x 1.3"/34 mm (D), weighing 10.1 oz./285 g--without pistol grip/trigger--Joya Touch 22 carries 4.3" multi-touch capacitive display (854x680). It runs Android 11 O/S with Google Mobile Services, Qualcomm SD660 System-on-Chip CPU, 4 GB RAM, and 32 GB Flash.

As features, Joya Touch 22 has megapixel scanner for 1D/2D, wireless battery charging, Bluetooth 5.1, 802.11 WLAN, and the company's visual good-read technology, dubbed "Green Spot." (It also provides red illumination for Digimarc Codes.) A "presentation mode" provides automatic hands-free reading via Time-of-Flight (ToF) Sensor. As ruggedness, Joya Touch 22 has 4 ft./1.5 m drop resistance. It may be ordered in choice of color combinations for customer branding.

"Joya Touch 22, with the Quuppa Intelligent Locating System, will precisely track its indoor location," detailed Datalogic. "This allows the delivery of powerful applications to support customers as they navigate different parts of the store, ensuring that they don't miss out on targeted offers. Real-time information is delivered to the users, alerting them via on-screen prompts of nearby products and promotions."

Datalogic's Joya Touch 22 Self-Shopper

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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

ALLIANCES

Paytronix Finds Its Voicify

A partnership to bring voice-based ordering to restaurants has been entered into by Voicify (Boston, MA) and Paytronix Systems (Newton, MA). It employs the voice technology by Voicify and the customer experience platform by Paytronix (called "CPX"). Options for such voice ordering range from mobile apps, to online ordering, to drive-thru kiosks, as well as tying to third parties such as DoorDash, GrubHub, and Uber Eats. As benefits, the two partners cite increased accuracy and faster service.

"Voice is the next frontier of guest engagement," declared Andrew Robbins, Co-Founder and CEO of Paytronix. "People naturally use voice in all sorts of interactions, from home devices like Amazon Alexa, to drive-thru's. When Voicify is integrated with Paytronix, brands can streamline customer and staff interactions making for an engaging customer experience."

"We're delighted that Paytronix has selected Voicify to round out the incredible suite of digital tools they offer restaurants," contributed Jeff McMahon, CEO of Voicify. "This move validates the extensive work Voicify made in 2022 to automate complex business processes with Voicify custom assistants at globally recognized restaurant brands." Apps may be created in the Voicify Conversation Experience Platform.

Voice-Based Ordering for Restaurants by Voicify and Paytronix

A Lofty Aim at SATO

A first-to-market cloud-based encoding and logging solution for RFID has been fashioned by Loftware (Portsmouth, NH) and SATO (Charlotte, NC). It employs Loftware's NiceLabel Cloud and SATO's printers and tags for RFID. It supports the CT4-LX desktop printer, CL4/6NX Plus industrial printers, and the new S84NX print engine from SATO.

Especially suitable for producers of medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and luxury goods, this system automatically logs each Electronic Product Code (EPC) and unique tag ID. Using SATO's Application Enabled Printing (AEP), it allows users to know which factory, country, and printer generated the tag for RFID. In addition to central data management, this extra level of automation provides compliance with traceability requirements and eliminates the possibility of counterfeits.

Loftware NiceLabel is available on-premise and in the cloud. Companies may start with an on-premise solution and then migrate to the cloud as they scale their labeling across applications, facilities, and countries, according to the two parties. "With today's 'always on' supply chain, large enterprises print and encode millions of tags," referenced Paul Vogt, VP of Channel and Alliances at Loftware. "As a result, they require a globally integrated platform like Loftware's NiceLabel Cloud."

A Cloud-Based Encoding and Logging Solution for RFID Employs SATO Printers and Loftware NiceLabel Software

Code Corner

Music Shop 360 has released its cloud-based retail platform. An end-to-end solution, it extends in-store and online sales, inventory management, customer communications and marketing, and back-office reporting/analytics. It includes functionality necessary for the music business, such as instrument repairs, customization, rentals, and consignments. Also, it furnishes real-time integrations with student, instructor, and class scheduling software, My Music Staff; music product web marketplace, Reverb; and clienteling solution, Clientbook. "Music Shop 360 brings together expertise in the music retail industry with industry-leading technology to help make music store management easier and more efficient," proposed Taylor Harnois, GM of Music Shop 360/Rain Retail (Provo, UT). "Our all-in-one POS software is easy to use, fully integrated, and has advanced automation capabilities."

Music Shop 360 POS

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Aldelo Summons Simpay

A new payment processing partner for Aldelo, L.P. (Pleasanton, CA): Simpay (Trevose, PA). With merchant services from Simpay, restaurant owners accept digital payments in-store via tap, dip, and swipe at terminals--countertop, tablet, and mobile--running Aldelo Express POS. In addition to its payment processing, Simpay furnishes human capital management, commercial insurance, and other business-related tools.

"We are extremely excited to partner with a fellow customer-centric-driven company focused on providing modernized POS," commented Jerry Wilson, VP of Partner Solutions at Aldelo. "The result is a win for restaurant owners seeking open, flexible, and affordable payments and POS." As well as Aldelo Express POS, Aldelo furnishes Aldelo Pay, Aldelo Merchant Services, Masa+ Restaurant Storefront, and Online Ordering.

"Partnering with Aldelo aligns perfectly with our mission to simplify the lives of business owners," enthused Josh Elsass, Chief Sales Officer at Simpay. "Aldelo gives small and medium-sized businesses their customized solution which rivals many enterprise-level products." In October, Aldelo announced integration with delivery service, Uber Eats.

Aldelo Adds Payment Processing by Simpay

Code Hits Our Reshores

A ribbon-cutting and home-coming celebration was held for barcode scanning and data capture company, Code Corporation. Its new facility will "reshore" its product fulfillment, packaging, device configuration, and some of its research and development and quality assurance testing. With 11,000 sq. ft. of industrial space, it's located 10 minutes from the Salt Lake City International Airport in West Valley City, UT.

A majority of such activities previously were performed in Singapore. With this move, Code Corporation said it will leverage Utah's Inland Port and International Trade Zone to cut worldwide fulfillment time by 50%. Augmenting Code's Murray, UT HQ, Technical Center in Boston, MA, and EMEA Hub in Bodegraven, Netherlands, the location in West Valley City, reportedly, will also enable greater product customization.

"Code Corporation's new industrial facility is an outgrowth of months of frustration with the global supply chain followed by a tremendous amount of thoughtful planning and careful investment to return to and bring back to the U.S. many business activities we have conducted overseas for many years," shared Dave Frick, Director of Operations for Code. "This new facility will not only bring new jobs to Utah but will also streamline our own supply chain and the international distribution of our barcode readers, which are vital to the day-to-day operations of healthcare facilities around the world." In 2021, Brady bought Code.

A New Facility in Utah Opened by Code Corporation. From Left to Right: Todd Bingham, President/CEO of the Utah Manufacturers Association; Karen Lang, Mayor of West Valley City, Utah; Kent Hansen, GM of Code; and Dave Frick, Director of Operations at Code.

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
HP
Ingenico
National Retail Solutions
Pioneer Solution
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Revel Systems
Sam4s/Shin Heung Precision
Shift4
Star Micronics
Sunmi
Toshiba
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
North American Bancard
Payment Logistics
Shift4
Sound Payments

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

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
Gamber-Johnson

Touchscreens & Monitors
Elo

INSTALLATIONS

CardFree Walks the Lazy Dog

A deployment of its new payment solution, designated EMV Plus, for CardFree (San Francisco, CA) at fast-casual chain, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar. Based in Huntington Beach, CA, Lazy Dog has 50 sites across the U.S. Started in 2012 to address mobility in POS, CardFree enjoyed an investment and counseling from Jeffrey Katz, Founder of Mercury Payment Systems. Katz serves as Chairman of the Board at CardFree.

CardFree and Lazy Dog have worked together over the past 24 months on the store system for Lazy Dog. It comprises Text-to-Pay, which leverages call center technology; Pay@Table, which allows customers to check themselves out, increasing table turns; and now, EMV Plus, which provides enhanced data security and reduces chargebacks. Used on handheld terminals, EMV Plus handles chip cards or contactless.

"The Lazy Dog Restaurant relationship is what you dream for in this space--a true partner that needs a solution and is willing to iterate with us to ensure we build the best-in-class offering," remarked Jon Squire, CEO of CardFree. "EMV Plus is the next step in creating an end-to-end payment ecosystem for restaurant operators and gives them another tool to increase sales and staff efficiency. Now, at Lazy Dog Restaurants, teammates can provide the same seamless payment experience as phoned-in orders, providing quick checkout via mobile wallets or card of choice, while providing more flexibility to the diners."

An End-to-End POS Deployed for Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar

Qu Celebrates Taco Days

A revamp of technology for quick-service chain Taco John's entails Qu POS (Bethesda, MD). Started in Cheyenne, WY, in 1969, Taco John's, trademarker of "Taco Tuesdays," franchises nearly 400 restaurants in 22 states in the U.S. In response to issues driven by the pandemic, in part, it has rolled out Qu's fully integrated product suite--from POS and KDS (Kitchen Display System) to kiosk, drive-thru, and curbside systems.

"Our franchisees love the new system because of its speed of training and improved stability, whether using the drive-thru, kiosk, or counter," vouched Jim Creel, CEO at Taco John's. "With Qu's 'Flex' POS and their stand-alone kiosks, our local teams can pivot to self-service ordering when they see fit, maximizing efficiencies based on demand and staffing levels. [Also] Qu's triple redundant enterprise cloud has alleviated the fear of our system going down [providing so-called 'last-man-standing']."

Added Steve Smyth, Director of Restaurant Technology at Taco John's, "Our operators and franchisees get real-time data from Qu's mobile 'Notify' app, delivering needed in-store insights." In addition to technology by Qu, Taco John's has selected Decision Logic (San Diego, CA) for back-office and inventory. (FYI: Qu POS, formerly Gusto, has backing by investors of Google, Salesforce, Uber, and Dropbox.)

Taco John's Rolls Out Qu POS

Channel Factoid

Home for the Holidays

38% of consumers expect to purchase more gifts in physical stores than they did during the pandemic.

40% of consumers report they will buy more than 75% of their holiday gifts online in 2022, slightly less than the 46% who were buying that much online in 2020.

60% of consumers found that buying online and picking up in stores during the pandemic was convenient and they will continue to shop for some of their holiday gifts this way.

68% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase little items like stocking stuffers in physical stores this year than they were during the pandemic.

40% of consumers plan to have more than half of their shopping done by Cyber Monday (November 28)--down from 48% in 2020.

44% of consumers claim that up to 10% of their orders arrive later than promised, and another 20% report experiencing late delays up to 25% of the time.

35% of consumers will increase the number of gifts being sent directly from the retailer to their intended recipient.

Source: "2022 Biennial Consumer Holiday Survey" by Voxware (Hamilton, NJ).

Consumers Less Tolerant of Delivery Delays and Out-of-Stocks

HELLO GOODBYE

Queen of Supply Chain at Zebra

An ascendancy to Chief Supply Chain Officer of Zebra Technology Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) for Tami Froese. She joined the company two years ago as VP of Global Procurement. In the previous 15 years, at General Motors, she served in progressive roles of Global Purchasing Commodity Manager, Supply Chain Senior Manager, Director-Global Cost Engineering, and Senior Purchasing/Supply Chain Director.

"We are very pleased to have Tami join our executive team as Chief Supply Chain Officer," related Anders Gustafsson, CEO of Zebra Technologies. "Tami has been successful in the acting role over the past few months, and she has been instrumental in initiating meaningful actions to improve our supply chain. We are pleased to fill this critical position with internal talent as we continue to prioritize building a strong, inclusive culture with high-performing talent."

"I'm honored to be appointed Zebra's Chief Supply Chain Officer and collaborate with our leadership team to advance our efforts in strengthening our supply chain operational excellence and resiliency," indicated Froese. "I look forward to further expanding our strong relationships with suppliers and partnering with our sales team to support our customers as they digitize and automate their workflows."

Tami Froese, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Zebra Technologies Corporation

A Gift Horse at Totus

As its new SVP of Strategic Partnerships, Eric Thiegs has joined Totus Gift Card Management (Scottsdale, AZ). His experience over two decades includes Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Board Member at National Gift Card. Most recently, after NGC's acquisition by Blackhawk Network in 2020--where he served as VP of Sales--Thiegs joined digital currency payments network Flexa as Head of Strategic Partnerships.

"Whether it was deploying the first digital coupons to be delivered by e-mail in the 1990's or two decades later establishing strategic partnerships enabling merchants to accept secure crypto payments from digital wallets at POS, over my career I've been fortunate to work on the bleeding edge of how consumers interact with and pay for goods and services at the brands they love," expressed Thiegs. "The favorite part of my job is helping partners grow their business and doing so in a way that brings operational automation, economic stability, and technology future-proofing. At Totus, I'll get to do this each day."

"Eric is indisputably one of the most well-respected professionals in this industry," stated Dave Jones, CEO of Totus Gift Card Management. "His integrity, diligence, and devotion to building meaningful partnerships is evident in every relationship from the beginning of his career to present day. I have both partnered and competed with Eric and I'm thrilled he agreed to join the team at Totus."

Eric Thiegs, SVP of Strategic Partnerships, Totus Gift Card Management