News

 

By Paul Rauker

 

 

In a move to streamline operations at its 700-plus locations, Smoothie King Franchises Inc. is rolling out Revel Systems’ iPad POS solution across its entire store network. The company said it selected the Revel platform for its scalability, speed and user-friendly technology.

 

Reliability and customer comfort are just two of the advantages casual dining chain Hooters of America receives from its POS environment, which is based on traditional fixed POS terminals. The Atlanta-based chain, which operates 190 corporate stores as well as 12 franchised locations where it supports POS operations, has been using POS hardware from Posiflex Business Machines since 2006.

Armonk, N.Y. –- IBM projects a strong holiday shopping season with online sales projected to increase 15% during the five-day period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. The biggest increase in online sales is expected on Cyber Monday, predicted to grow 15.8%, followed closely by Thanksgiving with a projected increase of 15.6%.   

 

Kentucky Fried Chicken franchisee Weaver Enterprises Ltd. is using Toshiba SurePOS 500 POS hardware and software, including touchscreen terminals, to meet corporate software standards and improve the checkout experience. Working with business partner Tolt Solutions, Weaver selected Toshiba’s SurePOS 500 and SureMark printer as the core of the new POS solution.

Using the Toshiba SurePOS 500’s spill-resistant, infrared touchscreen terminal and running Compris POS software, Weaver has increased employee productivity and reduced customer wait time.

Seattle –- Online retailer Zulily Inc. shrank its net loss to $795 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 from $2.25 billion the same period the prior year. Net sales shot up 72% to $285.8 million.  

 

With a promotional website, a Pinterest page and two stores, specialty crafts retailer Porter’s Craft & Frame is a small company supporting some big plans with a new tablet-based POS platform from Springboard Retail.

“Until recently, we used a PC-based POS system and used tablets to record information on products we bought at trade shows,” said Alex Nielsen, general manager of Porter’s, Rexburg, Idaho. “We had some laptops on carts in stores.”

 

Evolution is a constant process of change. Tracking not only what is happening now but what will happen next is a difficult and fluid process. Yet if anyone is in a position to accurately gauge the current and future direction of POS technology, it is Greg Buzek, president of global research and advisory firm IHL Group. According to Buzek, POS evolution currently points in the directions of omnichannel and mobile.

San Francisco -- Eight in ten Americans are likely to shop at local businesses during the upcoming holiday season, according to a 2014 nationwide Nielsen survey commissioned by Yelp. Nearly half (47%) plan to spend more than $100 at local businesses.  

 

Retailers can keep customer data safe and also protect themselves against fraud-related losses by complying with PCI Data Security Standards, including the October 2015 deadline for U.S. retailers to accept cards with Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV)-compliant chips, advised Bob Russo, general manager, PCI Security Standards Council.