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Category: Product Updates

  • Looking Ahead: What to Expect from Star at NRF 2019

    Looking Ahead: What to Expect from Star at NRF 2019

    It’s that time of year again – it’s the final countdown to NRF 2019! Commonly referred to as Retail’s Big Show, NRF attracts thousands of retail professionals from across the globe. Built on the idea that retail should be an experience, not just an establishment, the show will highlight the latest and greatest retail trends and technologies.

    So what does Star have in store for NRF 2019? A lot! We’ll be setting up an emulated shopping mall in booth #3601, where we’ll demonstrate our latest mobile point of sale (mPOS) product line, the mCollection, which includes printers, scales, and more. We’ll also be showing off our value-add promotional tool, PromoPRNT. Need more incentive to stop by? We’ll be raffling off Apple AirPods, and we’re hosting a champagne and dessert-themed networking party!

    Here’s a closer look at what we’ll be displaying at our booth:

    The mCollection

    m-collection_white.png-e1574800754945

    When you look around our booth at NRF 2019, you will certainly see our mCollection! Our latest mPOS series is designed to be sleek, compact in size, and the easiest to set up in the industry. The mCollection features a reliable and remarkable user experience, and multiple connectivity options (Bluetooth, CloudPRNT, Ethernet, and Lightning USB and traditional USB). Stop by our booth to discover the ways the mCollection is transforming industries like retail, hospitality, cannabis, and more.

    PromoPRNT

    The fun doesn’t stop there. We’ll also be demonstrating PromoPRNT, our value-add promotional tool, in our booth. PromoPRNT allows retailers of all sizes to create and manage custom printed receipt promotions from anywhere, increasing customer retention and personalizing the shopping experience. Learn more about PromoPRNT in this video:

    Our Partners

    Our partners make Star shine. Here are the ones we’ll be highlighting in our booth this year:

    Appetize-Logo-e1574800775826

    Appetize is a POS, inventory and analytics company transforming how enterprises manage and process guest transactions at scale. With an omni-channel approach, Appetize makes front of house transactions more intuitive through fixed, self-serve and handheld form factors, while providing robust kitchen and back office tools. Appetize will be demonstrated on Star’s TSP654IIBTi and SM-230i.

     

    Apptizer-Logo-e1574800793577

    With Apptizer, any merchant can create the mobile storefront their business truly deserves in minutes, with no coding or technical knowledge needed. Apptizer also can be integrated with payment gateways, POS and e-commerce platforms as a mobile storefront, giving more agility and accessibility to bring in a mobile-first experience to retailers and SMBs. Apptizer will be demonstrated on Star’s TSP100IIIUSB.

     

    2019-01-10_16-59-12-e1574800809531Evoke helps brands engage with their customers in creative, innovative, dynamic and rewarding ways. They look after the entire process from start to finish and work closely with clients to understand their brand and their customers. Evoke will be demonstrated on Star’s TSP700IIU.

     

    Mad-Mobile-Logo-e1574800836783

    Mad Mobile is a mobile technology leader with a strong reputation for innovation and delivery. They are enabling major retailers to re-invent the store experience, where 90% of sales still occur, and bridge the digital gap between online and in-store. Mad Mobile will be demonstrated on Star’s SM-L300.

     

    PD00408-SR-Logo-e1574800861771

    SuiteRetail enables retailers to better serve their customers. With SuitePOS, they have successfully made the in-store experience for employees and customers simple and efficient. In addition, payment transactions flow seamlessly, out-of-the-box, to sophisticated back-office ERP solutions such as NetSuite and Salesforce. SuiteRetail will be demonstrated on Star’s mC-Print3.

     

    Vend-Logo-e1574800878579

    Vend is cloud-based POS and retail management software that lets retailers run their business in-store, online, and via mobile. Vend’s solution includes POS software, inventory management, e-commerce, customer loyalty, and reporting analytics. Vend will be demonstrated on Star’s mC-Print2 / mC-Print3.

     

     

    Veras-Retail-Logo-e1574800894134

    Veras Retail creates in-store interactions between customers and retailers that are engaging, fun, profitable, and repeatable. They feel that a consumer’s relationship with a retailer (and thus their long-term impact to the retailer’s bottom line) is primarily forged in the in-store interactions with the products, the store staff, and the store’s physical environment. Veras Retail will be demonstrated on Star’s mC-Print3.

     

     

    See you soon at NRF 2019!

  • 3 Ways PromoPRNT is More Than Just a Coupon Creator

    3 Ways PromoPRNT is More Than Just a Coupon Creator

    Customers love to feel like they got a great deal or a deep discount on their purchases. Mailing lists and email promotions are common ways to distribute coupons, but not the most direct and cost-effective way to hand the coupon right to the patron.

    SMBs can use PromoPRNT, a new service added to the Star Micronics Cloud Service platform to generate coupons right at the point of sale.  PromoPRNT allows retail stores and small businesses to advertise their promotions in the most simple and effective way—printing coupons and promotional materials right onto the receipt. Delivering discounts directly to shoppers’ hands means engaging them at checkout and driving repeat business.

    But did you know that PromoPRNT is so much more than just a coupon creator? Here are three additional benefits of using PromoPRNT.

    1. Promotion Planning and Scheduling Tool

    PromoPRNT is provided through two services on the Star Micronics Cloud Services dashboard: Promotion Builder and Promotion Scheduler.

    Promotion Builder is a seamless, simple tool that designs promotions for receipts. Forget trying to manage design software or outsourcing receipt customization to a third-party vendor–the Promotion Builder library includes templates that make it easy to add logos, text, and icons to your receipts.

    Promotion Scheduler is used to schedule the duration of a coupon campaign by selecting a time, date, and printer for each coupon/promotion, even from a remote site. Campaigns can be scheduled based on the day or time, and each promotion is given a priority, which determines in what order they are printed on the receipt. With Promotion Scheduler, retailers have access to analytics that provide insight into promotional campaigns, so you can track which ones are resonating.

    2. Customer Engagement and Retention Tool

    SMBs have already started using PromoPRNT to make each customer visit unique by delivering promotions using nothing but their Star Micronics cloud-connected thermal printers. Printing coupons on customer receipts allows you to reach a higher percentage of shoppers for a fraction of the cost of a print or digital campaign, and compliments the marketing campaign you already have in place. But PromoPRNT can also be a part of your overall customer engagement and retention strategy. Encourage employees to engage customers by talking about the coupon/promotion while they are processing the transaction. Boosting customer retention and encouraging a repeat purchase can be as easy as circling or highlighting a promotional offer on the receipt so the customer doesn’t forget.

    3. A Cost-Effective Service

    Issuing coupons and promotional materials can be costly and even heavy investments in digital coupon campaigns can’t guarantee coupons will ever reach your audience. Instead, merchants can use the PromoPRNT coupon creator and scheduler to generate offers and deliver them for no additional charge.

    The checkout is the last touchpoint before your customers leave the store. Make it a good experience by thanking them for their purchases with coupons for a future shopping trips, delivered by sales associates who can emphasize how much you value their business. This strategy is more effective than just sending a coupon in the mail or via email — it’s an in-person invitation to return and it can help differentiate you in a competitive market place.

    Is it time for you to upgrade your checkout process to include coupons and promotions? For more information about the benefits coupons can provide for your business, download our e-book, “Why You Shouldn’t Underestimate Coupons as a Promotional Tool.”



    Download eBook

  • Sophatar Launches Sales Receipt Viewer in Partnership with Star Micronics

    Sophatar Launches Sales Receipt Viewer in Partnership with Star Micronics

    Download sales receipt images and obtain sales insights, with a brand new sale receipt viewer service from Sophatar for retailers using Star printers!

    • Are you a retailer looking for an easy web-based sales receipt re-print solution?
    • Or find out at which time of day, or day of the week you consistently generate more sales so you can plan employee shifts effectively?
    • Or find out when your first and last sales of the day happen?
    • And be able to do this from anywhere, not just while at your store, without extra software to install or change your POS?

    Then we have THE solution for you!

    Sophatar3-e1574799618468

    Sophatar is improving the sales IQ of retail locations with a Sales Receipt Viewer and Analytics dashboard that is targeted to customers of Star Micronics.

    No software to install. No need to change your point-of-sale software.

    It is a web-based service with downloadable images of your sales receipts showing in a browser and downloadable for re-print or email.

    The service also includes extracting the data from your sales receipt images and turning that into actionable information via an interactive graphical sales analytics tool so you can explore sales trends.

    It only costs $20 USD per month after an initial free 3-month period. No credit card is required during the trial period. This extended-time trial period is only offered for a limited time, during the introduction of this brand new service.

    Sophatar-1-e1574799635157

    What Do I Need for This to Work?

    Most Star Micronics printer installations have the unique capability that they can upload receipt images from your printer to the Star Micronics Cloud Dashboard each time a receipt prints. Check with your Star sales rep to find out if your install can. Once your image is uploaded and you sign up for this service, your receipt images will automatically be parsed in the cloud, and both the receipt images and parsed data is made available to you via a web dashboard and an interactive sales exploration graphics tool.

    Multi-Dimensional Sales Analytics in the Cloud

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    Explore your sales receipts to uncover trends and actionable insights in a variety of ways. Simply click on the interactive graph in the browser and select one or more dimensions to turn your sales data into insights. Graphs update automatically to filter and analyze your data:

    • by calendar date range
    • by day of week
    • by time of day
    • by payment method
    • by employee
    • by sales receipt total $
    • etc.

    Furthermore, you can filter to only see those receipts with discounts applied, or detect duplicate receipts. Use this to uncover ‘sweat-hearting’ by employees (discounts given to friends) or print receipt fraud (multiple prints of same receipt given to different customers from a single transaction on the POS, mostly seen in environments with a limited number of SKUs, such as QSR).

    As retail stores must compete in today’s world with e-commerce and online shopping, physical retailers are increasingly in need of more data and analytics. Sophatar’s partnership with Star Micronics means receipt data at the POS can deliver new insights for retailers to improve their marketing strategy to boost sales at key times.

    Besides this receipt viewer and analytics tool, Sophatar also offers other services based on sales receipt data from Star printers, such as its POS-transaction driven digital signage.

    How Do I Sign Up?

    Sophatar5

    The service is offered by Sophatar but fully integrated with Star Micronics. Star customers can login to their account at https://starmicronicscloud.com/ and subscribe to the ‘sales receipt analytics & viewer service’ in the Star Marketplace. We will then reach out to you to complete setup and activate your subscription.

    Now any retailer can keep an eye on their business, even from a remote location.

    Check out our 2-minute video demo and sign up today to take advantage of this no-risk limited-time no credit-card required introductory offer of $0 for the first 3 months!

  • PromoPRNT is the Easiest Small Business In-Store Marketing Tool

    PromoPRNT is the Easiest Small Business In-Store Marketing Tool

    What is the cost of receipt paper? It’s $1.25 per 1000 receipts. The true cost of PromoPRNT is just owning a Star Micronics receipt printer and the time to customize receipt messaging to your audience. Any small business or retail store can be doing in-store POS ads with this tool. PromoPRNT has Promo Builder and Promo Scheduler, making it the easiest way for retailers to do in-store ads at the time of purchase. Offline marketing is severely underestimated in 2018, and PromoPRNT works on the valuable real estate where it’s easiest to get eyeballs—the physical paper receipt.

    In the first half of 2018, a slew of retailers have been busy trying this brand-new service added to the popular Star Micronics Cloud Services platform.

    Biztracker-quote-e1574799468985

    Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive or yield uncertain results such as with Facebook or Instagram ads online. PromoPRNT is immediate, physical, and ends up, literally, in your shoppers’ hands.

    It allows small businesses to build rapport with customers where it matters most — at the physical location. Having the ability to do campaigns in-store, that are easy to set up and practically automated and very inexpensive, obviously has incredible benefits.

    PromoPRNT is also a great way for resellers of retail hardware and software to gain a recurring revenue stream. Meanwhile for retail store managers, this is an easy way to communicate with customers, to implement a customer retention program and gain traction on campaigns, discounts, and seasonal offers. Small businesses are using it to implement the following:

    Communicate Easily with Customers

    • A discount offer or time-limited promotion
    • Quotes & branding keywords
    • Hiring notices

    Build Rapport with Customers

    • Event reminders
    • A positive thank you message
    • Driving traffic online

    Create Customer Experiences

    • Customer feedback surveys
    • Seasonal campaign sale (e.g. Back-to-School deals)
    • A funny message for brand awareness

    Build Customer Loyalty

    • Mention of a charity or community initiative
    • A point-of-purchase message designed for customer retention
    • Seasons greetings messages

    mC-Print-PromoPRNT-e1574799485716

    PromoPRNT Costs Only a Star Printer

    PromoPRNT as an automation tool for retail stores only costs the price of a Star Micronics Printer. With a library of templates and the built-in Promo Builder and Scheduler to create and schedule receipt ads, it’s very easy to set-up.

    PromoPRNT takes no time at all. To connect your printer, it takes under 3 minutes. To make your first promotion from a template, it takes under 5 minutes. So, in about 10 minutes, you are up and running.

    How to Set Up and Use PromoPRNT

    All a small business requires to on-board PromoPRNT is to own a Star Micronics receipt printer and to sign up on Star Micronics Cloud.

    In an era of mobile and eCommerce, it’s refreshing for retailers to have such a simple tool that can be so valuable for building customer experiences. Customer experiences and an entire brand’s reputation live in memories made in the brick-and-mortar store. The physical store is the centerpiece of the retail brand. So why not augment it?

    PromoPRNT supports any printer that works with windows PC. We support USB connected printers, with the most common printer being the TSP143III series. We also support the TSP654II series, TSP743II, and mPOP and the new mC-Prints under Windows.

    To get started simply sign up here.

    We recently crafted a short how-to video to show just how easy it is for retailers and small businesses to implement.

     



    PromoPRNT

  • Everything Grocery Retailers Need to Know About Scale Integration

    Everything Grocery Retailers Need to Know About Scale Integration

    Grocery retailers sell a variety of items by weight, including fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cold cuts, bulk bin dry goods, and more. Whether people are buying a bag of sweet treats or a pound of sliced cheese, you rely on grocery scales to measure the weight of items and calculate the prices. Although it seems easy to lay products on the scale and print the tags, there’s a battery of scientific tests and several government agencies dedicated to calculating weights and prices correctly.

    Proper scale integration for your point of sale (POS) system can take some research. First, grocery retailers should check to see if the scale is NTEP certified for legal use.

    What is NTEP? How Does it Work?

    The National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) is facilitated by the National Conference on Weights and Measures. NTEP standards cover every aspect of a scale’s use, including:

    • Capacity
    • Accuracy
    • Appearance
    • Effects of temperature and humidity changes

    The standards are developed by a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce called the National Institute of Standards and Technology or NIST. Every device is tested in a lab setting to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations.

    An NTEP Certificate of Conformance (CoC) means the scale is legal for trade and can be used in a commercial setting to sell products by weight. Every NTEP-approved scale will have a CoC number that an inspector can use to verify that the scale meets the agency’s rigorous testing standards and is legal for use.

    Why is NTEP Important?

    Grocery retailers that buy, sell, or determine prices by weight are required by law to use a NTEP certified scale. NTEP scale certification isn’t optional — never purchase a scale that doesn’t have a CoC. Only NTEP-certified devices, when properly inspected and calibrated, can legally determine the weight of products. A grocery retailer with a non-NTEP-certified scale integration may be subject to civil penalties, seizure of the illegal device, or stop-work orders.

    Does it Matter if my Scale is Off by a Little?

    Simply put — yes, it matters. Every state has its own agencies and departments that monitor scales and inspect them for accuracy. Customers trust that their grocery retailer is charging them accurately for the products they buy, so imagine the public relations nightmare if it was reported that your store was caught overcharging customers for items sold by weight. The bad publicity alone isn’t worth the risk to your business, even if it was unintentional. Don’t be cavalier about following the calibration and compliance laws, which help prevent fraud at the scale.

    In addition, choose a scale that’s the correct accuracy class. A grocery retailer needs a scale that’s accurate, but doesn’t need the same type of scale used for medicinal or pharmaceutical purposes.

    Download the Complete Scale Buyer’s Guide.

    I’ve Chosen a NTEP-Certified Scale, Now What?

    NTEP-certification doesn’t mean you can plug in the scale and start using it right away. Before using the scale, contact your local regulatory authority to find out what you need to do before processing any sales by weight. You’ll likely have to register the device for inspection prior to scale integration and participate in regular inspections.  A local weights and measures official will use NIST standards when inspecting your scale and certifying it for use.

    Grocery retailers who charge for items by weight need a scale to conduct business legally. Look for a scale that is NTEP certified, and legal for use or trade, and be sure to consult your local laws and regulatory agency regarding its set up and use. Always maintain properly calibrated devices, to avoid overcharging customers or shorting your business.

    Star’s mG-Scales have the NTEP certification and modern connectivity options you need.



    Learn More

    Interested in integrating with Star Micronics?



    Contact Integrations Now

  • How to Use PromoPRNT Technology and Receipt Printers for In-Store Communications

    How to Use PromoPRNT Technology and Receipt Printers for In-Store Communications

    At Star Micronics, we’re always pushing the limit of our POS-tech designs. We’ve been a leading global manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies and this year we wanted to offer an add-on that has usefulness for a wide range of small businesses and local retailers.

    PromoPRNT is the easiest way to reach your customers offline and in-store. It can be used for any kind of messages a retailer or small business needs to share with their customers.

    An In-Store Customer Engagement Suite

    • Hiring notices
    • Event reminders
    • Discount promotions
    • Driving traffic online
    • Customer feedback surveys
    • Seasonal campaign sale (e.g. Back to School deals)
    • A funny message for brand awareness
    • Mention of a charity or community initiative
    • A point of purchase message designed for customer retention
    • Thank you and seasons greetings messages

    With Promotion Builder and Promotion Scheduler, small businesses can easily customize and schedule their messages on receipts of Star printers.

    A receipt printer is, therefore, more than just a printer, but one part of the Star Micronics Cloud suite of retailer tools. PromoPRNT also comes with inbuilt templates to get you started on the right foot.

    Reaching customers offline has many distinct advantages over digital communications, such as:

    • Higher read rates than email (“open rate” is also considerably higher)
    • Much less costly, resulting in higher overall ROI
    • Easy to create original memories for local repeat customers
    • Simple implementation of an offline to online strategy
    • More intimate communications that go “straight to customer’s wallet”

    PromoPRNT is Creating an IoT Approach to Retail

    Since PromoPRNT is managed on the Cloud and has an O2O (offline to online) aspect, this represents an evolution of Star’s ability to contribute an IoT aspect to all of the different kinds of businesses who use our products including retail stores, restaurants, gift shops, hospitality locations, seasonal kiosks, and retail chains.

    Essentially:

    • Promotion Builder is a simple way to create and design receipt promotions.
    • Promotion Scheduler is a detailed way retailers can schedule their on-receipt POS ad campaigns.
    • Promotion Builder has an inbuilt library of templates to help SMBs get started.
    • Reaching your customers was never this easy! Since access to PromoPRNT tools is free in 2018, retailers are trying it out to deliver incentives directly to their shoppers’ hands.

    To sign-up, simply register your business here with the Star Micronics Cloud.

    To understand more about how PromoPRNT works, watch this short video:

    Discover More Information About the Value of Printed and Digital Receipts



    Download our FREE eBook, “The Value of Receipts: Printed and Digital,” now!

  • Retail Stores are Boosting In-Store Customer Experiences with Receipts

    Retail Stores are Boosting In-Store Customer Experiences with Receipts

    At Star Micronics, we’ve been innovating POS tech customer engagement solutions for years as an innovation hub for POS.

    Recently we have solved how retail stores can achieve digital receipts and micro receipts that engage customers, and this year we’re rolling out PromoPRNT, a seamless feature that allows stores to easily reach their customers with POS Ads in-store on receipts.

    PromoPRNT as an Innovative Location Marketing Tool

    • PromoPRNT is a new service available to Star Micronics Cloud–registered members that empowers retailers to create printed promotions in addition to receipts.
    • PromoPRNT is a suite of tools that allow small businesses to easily reach their customers with the creation, design, and execution of location marketing campaigns on receipts.
    • Ultimately, with these PromoPRNT tools, retailers will be able to deliver incentives directly to shopper’s hands at a fraction of the cost of other marketing tools.

    Mobile In-Store is Catching On

    According to a survey by iVend Retail’s 2018 Global Path to Purchase, 60.1% of shoppers said they used their smartphones in brick-and-mortar stores. This means mobile is an important touch-point for physical retailers and stores to elevate the customer experience. In 2017, Star created a seamless way for customers to upload their receipts to their smartphones called AllReceipts.

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    Photo Credit: Kate Taylor, Business Insider

    Customer-centric apps allow retailers to boost their sales. A good example of this is how Starbucks has created a seamless way to do mobile ordering.

    Deployment 2.0 of Starbucks reworks the workflow of employees to better optimize their time that caters to the new mobile ordering feature at Starbucks locations, with a dedicated place for customers to pick up their orders.

    Starbucks insists that digital sales are a key for its future and displays one of the top in-app experiences of any global retailer. Dedicated employees for mobile ordering tasks means Starbucks have sped up their customer-experience to enable mobile ordering to become an ever-increasing portion of their sales.

    In-Store Mobile Experience Trends

    Shoppers who receive special offers via mobile while they are inside physical stores show higher conversion rates than in other customer journeys, according to Retail Dive. Mobile is also increasingly the starting place for research into products and retail locations that are local. At Star, we recognize the importance of both digital and physical cues for shoppers and thus have dedicated digital receipts and location marketing suite of services that is an omnichannel solution to better engage the modern shopper.

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    Digital Signage that Combines Mobile Loyalty with Digital Displays

    With more consumers using mobile at physical retail locations, Star also has another new program that leverages POS Digital Signage, with digital signage partner, Sophatar.

    Sophatar® POS Signage is another new service available to retailers who are registered Star Micronics Cloud users, for a low monthly subscription cost. Combining POS Data, with digital signage screens, the solution is able to increase the basket size of the most popular selling items at hospitality, grocery, retail, and apparel boutique locations.

    In this article, we have covered how retailers and brick-and-mortar small businesses can easily combine mobile, location-marketing receipt tech and POS digital signage to create a better in-store customer experience that increases retail sales.

  • 3 Reasons Why Restaurants Should Allow Customers to Order Online

    3 Reasons Why Restaurants Should Allow Customers to Order Online

    Online ordering and delivery are so convenient that more and more people are going online and, in a few clicks, having meals delivered to their door. According to banking analysts Cowen, delivery will grow to a $76 billion industry by 2022. CNBC reports that online orders comprise half of all deliveries, with millennials and the 35-44 age group leading the pack among diners who are taking advantage of online ordering apps and services.

    Online Ordering Makes Sense for Your Restaurant

    Although most restaurants take phone orders, it’s a good idea to have an alternate ordering method so people won’t get a busy signal or wait on hold for too long. Online ordering also means the phone won’t be ringing as often, taking staff away from other tasks and making the atmosphere more pleasant for dine-in customers.

    Online ordering allows diners to enter their orders online through the restaurant’s website or app and designate whether it’s for pickup, delivery, or dine-in. Online ordering solutions also enable the customer to pay with a credit card before the order is prepared, and it streamlines workflows by sending orders directly to the kitchen. Implementing an online ordering system means a better customer service experience for patrons and allows you to gather their contact information for future marketing efforts.

    Online ordering is a great way to boost revenue and attract new customers. The addition of Amazon Eats and Seamless are making it easier than ever for restaurants to introduce online ordering. If you haven’t already, here are three reasons why your customers should be able to point, click, and eat:

    1. Increased sales and larger orders

    Restaurants that introduce online ordering increase their takeout revenue, on average, by 30%. For small restaurants or ones with limited hours, adding online ordering and delivery generates an additional revenue stream without impacting your dine-in customers.

    Online ordering encourages larger orders by giving customers extra time to look through the menu and discover new items they would like to try. Diners are in control of the ordering process and they can take their time reading the menu without feeling rushed, securely process their payments, and never get a busy signal.

    2. Improved order accuracy

    Taking phone orders means an employee must be able to clearly hear the customer on the phone, accurately and legibly write down an order, and then input it into the point of sale (POS) system. Sometimes the employee may not hear the order correctly or make mistakes while entering it into the POS terminal. Removing these steps means less opportunity for errors and a reduction in the amount of time and resources wasted remaking orders prepared incorrectly.

    3. Expand your customer base

    More of your customers will seek out restaurants with online ordering, so it’s important to have every option available—phone, online and ordering app. According to a survey by the National Restaurant Association, 61% of people said they consider delivery and takeout options important for table service restaurants.  The experts at QSR Web reported that online ordering is outpacing dine-in patrons by 300%. If reservations at your restaurant are hard to get, or there are only a few tables, online ordering makes it easy for people to satisfy their craving or try it for the first time quickly and easily.

    Restaurants are preparing more meals for take-out than they are serving to on-premises customers, so make sure they can place their orders using the technology they want. Online ordering is the key to drawing in new customers and increasing revenue.



    CloudPRNT

  • 3 Benefits of Cloud-Ready IoT and Mobile Devices

    3 Benefits of Cloud-Ready IoT and Mobile Devices

    Business owners can monetize cloud-ready IOT data by using it to gain insights into their customers’ behaviors and to communicate with and engage them more effectively.

    The Internet of Things (IoT) is a vast network of connected devices in the physical environment that share information. The things can include RFID tags, customer traffic counting technology, printers, POS systems, digital signage, and customers’ mobile devices.  IoT and mobile devices and sensors collect massive amounts of data about our habits—what applications we use the most on smartphones, the entertainment we are streaming, which retail brands we prefer and the items we purchase. Business owners can monetize this data by using it to gain insights into their customers’ behaviors and to communicate with and engage them more effectively.  Retailers can also leverage the IoT to enhance in-store shopping experiences.

    Here are three ways the IoT and mobile devices can help your business excel.could-retail-e1574796392726

    1. Device Management. IoT technology can help identify a problem before it starts. With devices that have the capability to communicate when they are in need of repair, shoppers never have to wait while a sales associate finds a replacement device.  IoT devices are often able to communicate issues before they are apparent to the user, helping to minimize downtime.

    Cloud-ready IoT and mobile devices can also be managed remotely. Business owners or managers can identify what and where the problem is while working at the store or from home, another store location or sitting on the beach via the cloud dashboard. Error status notifications can tell you in real-time what the problem is—whether a printer cover or cash drawer is left open or if a printer is out of paper or unplugged. Identifying and fixing the problem immediately helps improve efficiency and increase productivity, so you’re never wasting time hunting around for the problem.

     

    1. Data Collection. IoT and mobile devices can collect and store important customer information. A cloud-ready device gives you the ability to transform shopping receipts into valuable digital transaction data. If you don’t have the time or manpower to analyze customer data on your own, data facilitation allows retailers to send digital receipt information to third-party partners or vendors who can offer a wide range of analytic and shopper engagement services. These third-party vendors can run loyalty programs and issue customer updates about new products and promotions. Through these services, retailers can gain unparalleled information about shoppers’ habits and promotional campaigns, including which ones are effective and which ones aren’t resonating, to ultimately increase ROI.

     

    1. Data Utilization. Data collected by IoT and mobile devices and stored in the cloud can be used for other purposes, including digital signage. Digital signage is an interactive gateway that allows a business to communicate directly with a consumer, engaging them while they are in the store. Digital signage is easy to control and can be modified quickly, allowing it to be incorporated into virtually any environment. Depending on the setup and service you choose, you may be able to store your own graphics and update the signage as often as you want. This is especially useful during holiday shopping time, or if you want to promote doorbusters and flash sales during certain hours.

    Cloud-ready IoT and mobile devices can help you gain important insights into your business, customers, and operations. They can help you identify a hardware problem in-store, even when you’re offsite, and collect data that can keep messaging and promotions relevant. Evaluate how your business is collecting and leveraging data to provide better in-store experiences. Are you doing what it takes to be competitive?

  • 3 Things Cannabis Retailers Need to Know About Cannabis Receipt Regulations

    3 Things Cannabis Retailers Need to Know About Cannabis Receipt Regulations

     

    Running a marijuana dispensary requires in-depth knowledge of the local laws and meticulous recordkeeping including retaining copies of each cannabis receipt.

    Running a medical or retail marijuana dispensary requires in-depth knowledge of the local laws and meticulous recordkeeping including retaining copies of each cannabis receipt. As of April 2017, 29 states have legalized medical marijuana, which can be used to treat several illnesses, including multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, inflammation, pain, mental disorders and substance abuse, among others. In addition, 9 states have legalized recreational use. That means cannabis retailers are legally operating in more than half of the U.S.

    Their businesses can be very different, however, depending on the states in which they are located.  One difference is startup costs. For example, annual licensing fees range from $3,000 in Colorado to $75,000 Connecticut. States may also require a minimum of liquid capital, some places as high as $250,000, so it’s imperative you protect your investment with perfect recordkeeping of every transaction. Retaining a copy of every cannabis receipt ensures your dispensary follows state and local laws and protects your business in the event of an audit.

    What should the receipt include? How can you prove your business is operating in compliance with state and local laws? The cannabis receipt provided to the customer proves you are collecting all the relevant taxes and dispensing marijuana legally.

    If you are considering opening a marijuana dispensary or you want to make sure your business is operating in compliance with your state’s laws and make sure you are correctly formatting and recording cannabis receipts, your point of sale (POS) system is the perfect tool to manage this requirement.

    1. Check the Specific Requirements in Your State

    Understand your state’s tax laws to ensure you are charging the correct amount. For example, in California, retailers charge a consumer-excise and sales tax, while in Colorado, cannabis is subject to different taxation, whether it’s classified as medical or retail marijuana. It’s important to stay up to date on changing tax laws to ensure you are collecting the correct percentage. Failure to comply could subject your business to fines and added scrutiny.

     2. Manage Copies of Cannabis Receipts

    Use your POS system to send a backup copy of each cannabis receipt to the cloud or store the backup offsite. If you are issuing receipts with carbon copy paper, staple or clip the receipts together. It’s also a good idea to keep important financial records, licensing information and other sensitive financial paperwork in a secure place outside of the dispensary. Retain all records for a minimum of three years in case of an audit.

     3. Include All Required Information on the Cannabis Receipt

    Although the exact information you include will depend on your state’s laws, most receipts will include store name and address, the category of taxable products or product category name/product name. Receipts should also include a code or other identifier for the product’s taxes. There may be additional requirements, however. In Oregon, it’s required to list the sale subtotal before tax, amount of state tax, local tax, total sale amount and identifying receipt number. A disclaimer stating that receipts are required for customer tax disputes is also required.

    The cannabis industry is promising for dispensaries, but it is tightly regulated by the states where marijuana has been legalized. Give your business the best chance for compliance and success with a POS system equipped with state-of-the-art printers to meet regulatory requirements while providing convenient customer experiences at the checkout.

    Contact the experts at Star to learn more about ideal solutions for the cannabis industry.

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