Our Product Pick

Brother Mobile Solutions (Westminster, CO) has introduced its newest model of portable, full-page, direct-thermal printer, the PocketJet 8. With print field of 5.8" x 8.5" (147 mm x 216 mm), it delivers maximum print speed of 3"/ 76 mm per second (equal to 13.5 pages per minute), resolution as high as 300 dpi, and 75% reduction in time to first print-out. A family of five models addresses USB 2.0. 802.11 WLAN, Bluetooth, and MFi, with support for Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux. "Whether mobile professionals are printing invoices, citations, delivery labels, and more, it no longer makes sense to rely on stationary technology and stale business processes," expressed Ravi Panjwani, VP of Brother Mobile Solutions. "PocketJet printers have long been a staple of on-the-go workers, and the new enhancements to the PocketJet 8 Series now enables them to connect and print even faster, with options that seamlessly connect and fit with virtually any tech stack."

PocketJet 8 by Brother Mobile Solutions

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Wide "World" of ISVs

A new commerce platform addressing ISVs and their merchant customers in the SMB has been launched by payments/banking behemoth, FIS (Jacksonville, FL). Entitled "Worldpay for Platforms," delivered as SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), naturally, it leverages the technology of Payrix (Atlanta, GA), which was acquired by FIS in February. A single integration, with developer portal driven by API's (Application Programming Interfaces), supports vertical ISVs.

With Worldpay for Platforms, according to FIS, SMBs may accept hundreds of currencies and popular payment methods globally, across online, mobile, and traditional transactions of POS, as well as manage subscriptions, billing, and invoices. Also, SMBs may send funds and issue refunds, manage chargebacks, and generate proprietary reports. Additionally, Worldpay for Platforms provides access to customized payment offerings and differentiated pricing, as well as "white glove" customer support and advisory services for ISVs.

"In today's digital-first, on-demand economy, software companies need to provide broader experiences to their users," suggested Matt Downs, Group President of Platforms with FIS. 'Early adopters of embedded payments include ride sharing and delivery companies. Now, these businesses are pushing the advantages of embedded payments and finance even further and are starting to offer flexible financing at the point-of-sale. With Worldpay for Platforms--and the power of the global merchant and banking offerings at FIS--we are digitally enabling software companies to create unique experiences for their customers."

FIS Launches Worldpay for Platforms

Star "Directs" USB-C

Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ) has extended its mPOP (Mobile Point-of-Purchase) Series with new direct iOS USB-C, in the Model POP10Ci. With this functionality, Star offers convenient and more powerful direct iOS connectivity--including one-cable charging--with Apple MFi Certification. It features compatibility with all major O/S (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS) and works with major software for POS.

In dimensions of 12"/308 mm (L) x 12"/308 mm (W) x 4"/103 mm (H), the mPOP line combines a 2"/58 mm direct thermal receipt printer with "drop-in and print" paper loading, in combination with its cash drawer. A cash drawer till with 4-bill and 4- or 6-coin slot design provides easy currency storage and management. As an option, Star Micronics also offers the "mUnite EZPOS" tablet display stand, fitting any mPOP. With USB-A and USB-B, external devices and peripherals are supported in the POP10Ci, such as 1D/2D barcode scanner or customer-facing LCD.

"Functions and connectivity of the mPOP make processing customer transactions smooth and hassle-free for small shops, cafes, florists, food trucks, and more," emphasized Star Micronics America. "With multiple exit options for enhanced cable management, it complements any countertop or on-the-go area for a visually appealing POS no matter where you do business. Aesthetically modern and elegant, the mPOP provides the ultimate POS solution for the new face of POS."

Star Micronics Powers USB-C for Its mPOP System

Worth Your While

FSTEC
Winsight
September 19-21
Dallas, TX

NACS
Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing
October 1-4
Las Vegas

Channel Connect
ScanSource
October 2-5
Nashville, TN

MJBizCon
MJBizDaily
November 15-18
Las Vegas, NV

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

ALL IN THE FAMILY

GoDEX Gets Going

GoDEX Americas (Camarillo, CA) has unveiled its new family of direct thermal label printers: the DT200 Series. With 2"/58 mm print width, it features eight models under two categories, DT200/DT200i and DT200L/DT200iL. A designation of "i" indicates 2.4" color LCD, while "L" indicates linerless. As connectivity, there's combinations of USB 2.0, USB Host Type-A, Serial RS-232, 10/100 Ethernet, and 802.11 WLAN.

As maximum print speed, the D200/DT200i has 7"/178 mm per second at resolution of 203 dpi. At resolution of 300 dpi, the DT230/DT230i has maximum print speed of 5"/127 mm per second. As maximum print speed, in linerless operation, the DT200L/DT200iL has 6"/152 mm per second at resolution of 203 dpi. At resolution of 300 dpi, the DT230L/DT230iL has maximum print speed of 4"/102 mm per second.

Measuring 8.2"/207 mm (L) x 4.4"/112 mm (W) x 6.7"/171 mm (H), weighing 2.3 lbs./1 kg, the DT200 Series has 32 bit RISC CPU along with 128 MB Flash and 32 MB SDRAM. As user friendly features, it furnishes auto-calibration button for media detection and positioning, top cover release catch, movable reflective sensor, and wall-mount design. A full line of optional accessories, such as external media stand, are offered, as well as GoLab Design Software, GoApp, GoUtility, and GoTools.

DT200 Label Printer From GoDEX

Attempting Mach Speed at MicroTouch

MicroTouch (Holland, MI) has unwrapped its new line of touch solutions, dubbed Mach. It includes both desktop and digital signage models, employing projected-capacitive TFT LCD. As desktop models, there's sizes of 15.6" (aspect ratio 6:9), 21.5" (aspect ratio 16:9), and 24" (aspect ratio 16:9). All feature maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. As digital signage, there's sizes of 49", 55", and 65" (all with aspect ratio of 16.9 and maximum resolution of 3480 x 2160). Also, full suite of I/O's.

A number of enhancements in Mach are cited by MicroTouch. A superior visual experience has been achieved by full optical bonding (with no air gap), as well as 8 bit panel (versus 6 bit panel). Also, etched anti-glare technology increases response, scratch resistance, and light transmission. A more modern, ultra-slim design features end-to-end borders, ruggedness, cable management, and collapsible stand.

"We're enthusiastic to debut the Mach family," shared Mark Littlefield, President of MicroTouch. "Mach gives VARs and ISVs advanced touch solutions that will enhance the offering they provide and help them differentiate their businesses." Rejuvenated by TES America in 2021, MicroTouch, the pioneer in capacitive touchscreens, now distributes through BlueStar (Hebron, KY) and Metropolitan Sales (Lynbrook, NY).

Mach Series Touch Solutions by MicroTouch

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ALLIANCES

NCC Delivers

An online restaurant order management partner for National Computer Corporation (Greenville, SC), in the form of Deliverect. Accepting orders from online systems and third-party platforms such as Grubhub and DoorDash, it seamlessly integrates with Reflection POS by NCC. It allows synchronization of digital menus, communication with kitchen printers or kitchen display systems, and collection/analysis of customer data.

"Through integrations and innovation, NCC is enabling businesses to benefit fully from the technology available to them today to meet customer demands," declared Chuck Prince, President of NCC. "With Reflection POS and Deliverect, restaurants can build their internet presence and an online ordering revenue stream that can help their businesses grow." A longtime player in the channel, founded in 1986, NCC recently won the 2022 Gold Vendor Award of Excellence in Software from the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA).

"Reflection POS users appreciate its ease of use, simplicity, and security," contributed Karin Ronde, Head of Partnerships for North America at Deliverect. "We are excited to partner with NCC to build a reliable two-way integration so that restaurants can manage online orders from a single point-of-sale." Headquartered in Belgium, with offices in New York, Toronto, and Mexico City, and 160 employees, Deliverect has processed more than 150 million orders worldwide.

National Computer Corporation Draws Upon Deliverect for Restaurant Online Order Management

Fiserv: We Built This City

Another acquisition for payment colossus Fiserv, in this case, The City POS (officially registered as the LR2 Group, Santa Rosa, CA). Established in 2003, The City Group/LR2 has served as key VAR/ISO of Fiserv. A price of $26 million for The City Group/LR2 was reported in Fiserv's most recent 10-Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Over the last two years, Fiserv (Brookfield, WI) has accelerated its buying strategy. In 2021, it snapped up payment players BentoBox, Bypass Mobile, NetPay, Integrity Payments, SpendLabs, Pineapple Payments, Radius 8, and Ondot. In February of this year, it completed its purchase of rival core developer, Finxact, for $650 million.

A company spokesperson at Fiserv stated that the 11 employees of The City POS/LR2 Group will be retained. As an indication of scale, the purchase of The City Group/LR2, announced in the 10-Q, wasn't mentioned during the Q2 earnings call of Fiserv, according to financial analysts, since it only represents about 0.1% or 0.2% of revenue. In 2019, readers will recall, Fiserv procured First Data for $22 billion.

The City POS Purchased by Fiserv

Code Corner

Dynamsoft (Vancouver, BC, Canada) has issued its Barcode Reader Software Development Kit (SDK) Version 9.4, with, in particular, improved performance for 1D codes and 2D DotCode. In the former, it now scans extremely skewed 1D codes stacked together. Such scenarios are commonly found in scanning rows of books stacked on a shelf, or for thin packages closely packed in a box. As its name suggests, DotCode is composed of disconnected dots, and is used most commonly to mark tobacco product packages such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. It entails information such as the pack contents, date, and lot details to ensure proper tracking and tracing throughout the supply chain. "We will continue to strengthen our Dynamsoft Barcode Reader with added symbology support and performance optimizations," indicated Amy Gu, CEO and Co-Founder of Dynamsoft.

Dynamsoft Releases Its Barcode SDK Version 9.4 with Improved Reading Performance

INTEGRATION

Aldelo Takes Stock

Aldelo, L.P. (Pleasanton, CA) has released its Aldelo Express Inventory Module. As part of Aldelo Express, the popular cloud- and iPad-based POS, the new Inventory Module enables restaurant owners to manage, monitor, and forecast inventory item purchases. It requires no additional hardware purchases, no additional software fees, and minimal set-up and training, according to the ISV. (In concert with approved merchant services, Aldelo Express is provided at no charge.)

Accessible via 802.11 WLAN or Cellular WWAN, and developed in-house, Aldelo Express Inventory Module automatically syncs back-office inventory data with in-store and online menu item purchases. Combined with back-office sales reports, Aldelo Express helps restaurant owners identify and plan for popular menu items and busy periods. Customizable secure access allows restaurant owners to limit which employees have access to the Aldelo Express Inventory Module.

"The new Inventory Module is truly essential for single-and multi-location business owners who want to effectively cut costs, maximize back-office purchases, and identify profit leakage occurring within their operation," related Jerry Wilson, VP of Partner Solutions at Aldelo. "Restaurants using the Aldelo Express Inventory Module immediately begin reducing product spoilage and inventory waste, saving their business hundreds and even thousands of dollars a month through accurate data input and synchronized reporting." Also, Aldelo has certified use of two new terminals of POS, the T2 Lite by Sunmi (Alpharetta, GA) and Model e700 by PAX Technology (Jacksonville, FL).

Aldelo Express POS Debuts Inventory Module

Elavon Elevates Talech

Elavon (Atlanta, GA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S Bank, has promoted its Talech Register for SMBs in North America. In bundled packages addressing areas of both restaurant and retail, Talech Register furnishes the touchscreen POS, direct thermal receipt printer, 1D/2D barcode scanner, credit-card reader, and cash drawer. Hardware and accessories are also available a la carte for business customization.

"Talech Register brings the simplicity, convenience, and efficiency of the Talech software platform to the point-of-sale," described Irv Henderson, Chief Digital Officer for U.S. Bank Small Business. "We're looking forward to bringing Talech Register to small business owners and our third-party partners who work closely with this vital part of the economy of North America." Elavon will offer its Talech Register as hardware-as-a-service (Haas)--for $40 or $50 CAD--or upfront charge.

Added Jamie Walker, CEO of Elavon, "The Talech Platform is really about making it easier for small business owners to get the information they need to make better decisions, especially in a rapidly changing economy. Through Talech Register, we want to tackle all the complex payments, banking, and operational needs that a small business owner has, so they can get back to making the right choices for their business." An out-of-box set-up may be performed by the merchant, or merchant partner, or guided by the payment processor's dedicated support team, in as little as 90 minutes, according to Elavon.

Elavon Brings Talech Register to SMBs in North America

[Editor's Note: Also, Elavon has expanded its cross-border hospitality payments acceptance with Oracle/Micros Hospitality.]

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
National Retail Solutions
Pioneer Solution
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Revel Systems
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

It's SpotOn for Venues

Another in-seat food ordering partner in stadiums for hard-charging provider of POS, SpotOn: Ordr (Edmonton, AB, Canada). It allows fans to place their orders for food, beverage, and merchandise from their selected concession or team store and to choose in-seat delivery or express pick-up. Thus, "no waiting in line, no missing the action."

"Partnering with SpotOn is an important step for Ordr as we look to strengthen our relationships with our sports and entertainment partners," relayed Scott Wain, VP of Sales and Strategy at Ordr. "Our goal, which is to help every fan feel like VIPs, requires smooth and efficient execution. This integration will allow operators to process mobile orders seamlessly from their existing POS, saving countless hours post-game consolidating and reconciling sales and inventories across multiple platforms."

A year ago, SpotOn raised $300 million in Series E Funding led by Andreesen Horowitz (Menlo Park, CA), and subsequently bought one of the most prominent mobile ordering systems, Appetize (Los Angeles, CA). Thus, it now serves many major sports venues, including Yankee Stadium, Dodger Stadium, Diamondbacks Stadium, as well as homes for the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, and Baltimore Ravens. It will add minor league baseball venues with Ordr, starting with the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A Gwinnet Stripers (Lawrenceville, GA).

Integration of Ordr and SpotOn for Stadiums

Meet Marty

An automated inventory management system from Badger Technologies (Nicholasville, KY)--employing "Marty the Robot"--has been embraced by Busy Beaver Building Centers. Upon successful pilot testing in October 2021, Busy Beaver will roll out the solution for some of its 25 locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. It includes use of Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) to eliminate manual price changes.

Overall, Busy Beaver tracks 33,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). Each night, Marty the Robot scans all shelves and planograms and generates its report, which takes 30 to 40 minutes to review. Previously, manual inventory checks took more than 80 hours per week, with several employees dedicated to the effort.

"Badger Technologies brings a lot of data-driven advantages to the retail industry," expressed William "BJ" Santiago, CEO of Badger Technologies. "For Busy Beaver, we funnel all relevant and timely data from the store's POS system directly into a dashboard that employees access on a tablet. Even their corporate merchandising team can access real-time data to visualize planograms for compliance without having to visit the store." A product division of Jabil Retail, Badger Technologies.

An Autonomous Robot-Based Inventory Management System from Badger Technologies Deployed by Busy Beaver Building Centers

Channel Factoid

Seeing Through
Inventory Distortion

-Consumers in North America say 1 in 5 items they want to buy will be out-of-stock at their local retailer, according to the IHL Group.

-Total cost to retailers for Inventory Distortion (defined as combined cost of overstocks and out-of-stocks) amounts to $349 billion in lost sales for retailers in North America in 2022.

-On the positive side, the lost sales to retailers from out-of-stocks dropped 29.6% in specific fast-moving consumer goods categories from 2020 to 2022, due to better store systems and less panic buying.

-Alternatively, the cost of overstocks, versus out-of-stocks, increased 23.6% due to the abrupt change in consumer spending due to increased inflation in North America and the war in Ukraine.

-Supplier issues are by far the largest causes of Inventory Distortion in 2022, amounting to $129.2 billion in sales losses in North America (an +150% increase from 2020).

-Personnel issues (either not having enough employees or poor training) amounted to $63 billion in sales losses in North America (an +54% increase from 2020).

-Finally, sales losses from Covid-19 lockdowns dropped over $103.8 billion in 2022 (improving nearly 80% from 2020).

Source: "Can Retailers Handle the Truth -- True Cost of Out-of-Stocks and Overstocks," conducted by the IHL Group (Franklin, TN).

Consumers Can't Find 20% of Desired Items

HELLO GOODBYE

Bixolon Drafts Schaffer

Bixolon America (Torrance, CA) has enlisted industry veteran Jim Schaffer as its Strategic Alliances-Senior Business Manager. He joins the company from the distributor of Auto ID and POS, BlueStar, where he served for many years as Business Development Manager (2008 to 2022). He's based in Kentucky.

"We are thrilled to have Jim join our team," commented Paul Kim, President of Bixolon America. "Jim's understanding and wealth of experience within our industry is a huge asset to Bixolon and will support our expansion into new markets." (For the ninth consecutive year, Bixolon has been ranked as the "world's leading mobile receipt printer manufacturer" by the research firm in Japan, Chunichisha Co.)

Also, Bixolon America has opened its new office in Mexico City. As Support Manager, it has engaged Leobardo Gomez, who has worked in IT for the retail company, Coppel. "We are pleased to have Leobardo join the Bixolon family," stated Juan Salinas, VP for Latin America, Mexico, and Caribbean for Bixolon America.

Jim Schaffer, Strategic Alliances-Senior Business Manager at Bixolon America

GoTab Looks West

GoTab (Arlington, VA) has promoted Jake West to SVP of Sales and Partnerships. He joined the company in 2021 as VP of Sales and Partnerships. His industry experience includes roles of Director of Business Development at Vend, VP of Business Development-PayFac at Worldpay, VP of Business Development-ISV at Vantiv, and Director of Business Development-ISV at Mercury Payment Systems.

"With his deep background in payments and proven ability to build and grow high-performance teams, Jake steps into the role of Senior Vice President of Sales and Partnerships at a critical time as we continue to expand our product suite and partnerships," remarked Tim McLaughlin, CEO and Co-Founder at GoTab. Established in 2016, GoTab supplies restaurant POS, including mobile ordering, payments, and kitchen display systems. It processes over $250 million in transactions per year.

"There is a stark difference when you work with a company who is set up to deal with reseller partners," reported Gavin McLeod, President of VAR RBBT Tech (Dallas, TX). 'GoTab has done a tremendous job transitioning from direct to channel sales. I can't speak highly enough of the GoTab team." Also, Jake West was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA).

Jake West, SVP, Sales and Partnerships, GoTab