Are you ready for the revolution?
There’s an app for that
We live in an age of a rushed lifestyles and in order to survive, every electronic device has evolved to help us multitask or to boost productivity. It’s basically the terms and conditions of living in the 21st century. The same logic applies to the retail sector, where retailers are constantly looking for ways to make their services efficient, and the POS system has grown to accommodate that need.
POS applications have been developed on different platforms. Brick and mortar retail stores have upped their game to keep up with e-commerce, and using digital POS technology has helped in the following ways:
- Embraced ‘showrooming’ and turned it into an opportunity that offers online price matching.
- Created an omni-channel experience that links up in-store commerce to e-commerce.
- Introduced the use of iOS smartphone/tablet devices for POS.
Take a look at a few examples of how stores have embraced the digital POS innovations:
Harris + Hoole Coffee (UK)
Many morning rituals consists of a cup (or three) of coffee. We’re living in a rushed lifestyle and caffeine is the fuel that gets us going. What Harris + Hoole Coffee has done is make their service even more efficient. They’ve created a smartphone app that lets customers order and pay for their coffee, before getting out of bed. All you need to do is collect your coffee at your local Harris + Hoole Coffee shop. To top it off, customers can also get a stamp on a virtual loyalty card.
Kate Spade (NYC)
Fashion house Kate Spade took window shopping to a whole new level by turning it into virtual reality. Partnering with eBay’s shoppable windows technology, consumers were able to interact with a giant POS tablet and if they wanted to purchase the items they were browsing, it would be delivered to them within the hour. This idea takes the rushed lifestyle into consideration, and deliveries were made to consumers wherever they were in New York. The campaign’s duration was only for a month but can you imagine if retail clothing stores used this type of innovation?
Richmond High Street (London)
You can now use your face to pay; well, sort of. The PayPal app has a tab called ‘Local’, which allows you to find shops or restaurants that accept PayPal mobile payments. Customers will ‘check in’ on Facebook or Foursquare and their names and photos will appear on the shop’s cash registers. Again, this is a great example of a brick-and-mortar store using digital innovation.
Kiehls (NYC)
Using interactive elements is a great way to engage with customers. This is exactly what Kiehls has done with their aromatic blends. The interactive display tables uses a projection screen to provide information about the products on display. They’ve used Perch, retail technology that provides interactive elements for users.
NCR iPad checkout registers
With the NCR Silver POS system, small business owners can run their business while on the road or in-store, and track their sales no matter where they are. It uses iPads and iPhones, devices we’re accustomed to using.
Casino supermarkets (France)
The Casino supermarket chain in France allows consumers to shop on-the-go. Using electronic tags, shoppers will use their Casino app to select a product and scan the tag. The product will then be loaded into their virtual basket. Once they are done shopping, customers will head over to the cash register and unload the virtual basket. So how do you obtain your purchased goods? You can drive through the drive-in to pick them up or it can be delivered to your front door.
Internet usage, computer tablets and mobile devices have become ever-present. It’s time we embrace and use this to our advantage, especially with the digitisation of POS systems.
Contact your local retail software suppliers for the latest mobile retail systems.