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  • Why You Should Create Instagram Stories for Your Store

    Why You Should Create Instagram Stories for Your Store

    The influence that social media has in today’s society is undeniable. Life is now about documenting every experience, whether it’s a trip to a new country or what you ate for dinner. Instagram Stories allows Instagram users to share multiple experiences through images and videos for a 24-hour period until they disappear (very much like a Snapchat story).

    As Instagram Stories has grown to be more popular, it is becoming an important tool to help businesses increase brand awareness and engage with their customers. But first thing’s first – how do you create Stories, and why should you use them?

    How To Create An Instagram Story

    Although Instagram Stories has existed since 2016, here is a brief tutorial to get you started:

    1. Open your store’s Instagram account and tap either the camera icon or your store’s logo in the upper right-hand corner.
    2. Next, either:
      1. Take a picture or video, or
      2. Choose an existing picture or video from your phone’s gallery.
    3. Upload your picture/video to your Story by tapping “Your Story” in the bottom left corner.

    Once uploaded, your image will remain on your Story for 24 hours.

    Why Use Instagram Stories?

    Over 400 million people use Instagram Stories. That’s a lot of people, and it’s more than double the number of Snapchat users! One huge benefit of using Stories is that because you can add public hashtags to your Stories, even users who do not follow your business can discover your content.

    Besides making your business more discoverable, Instagram Stories now allows the use of outbound links, meaning you can include links to your website or blog. Stories is also an excellent way to build your business’ community by tagging partners and brand influencers.

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    Making seasonal content a focus can be very successful on Instagram. Source: pexels.com

    Ways to Use Instagram Stories for Your Business

    As you’ve now learned, Instagram Stories is a great way to reach your target audience, no matter what industry you are in. In fact, agencies report 2-3 times more engagement with Stories than with regular content. With a plethora of features just one tap away, Instagram Stories can be a valuable part of any small business marketing strategy. Here are some ideas to help get you started:

    • Use location tags to inform users where your store is located
    • Start a poll to get valuable customer feedback
    • Use Stories to highlight product teasers
    • Use the tagging feature to give partner and/or customer shout outs
    • Leverage the “Swipe Up to Read” feature (if you qualify) to give quick access to your website or blog
    • Post motivational quotes
    • Share client success stories

    If you’re looking for even more inspiration, click here to learn about eight content tricks used by top brands, from sharing an experience to focusing on seasonal content.

    How One Fashion Store Made the Most of Instagram Stories

    Utilizing online marketing to drive in-store sales is a huge part of the omnichannel retail experience, and Instagram Stories is a great place to do just that. For example, one footwear and fashion company which recently opened retail stores hoped to raise brand awareness among young women, its target audience. The company created eye-catching Stories video ads, and the Insta-effort really paid off: the ads boosted brand awareness by 11 points among young women! Click here to learn more about how the store leveraged Instagram Stories, or click here for even more Stories ideas.

    Good luck and happy “storytelling!”

  • NRF 2019 Recap: The Point of Sale of the Future

    NRF 2019 Recap: The Point of Sale of the Future

    Last week, we had the pleasure of attending and exhibiting at NRF 2019 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The Star family was set up at booth #3601, and also took some time to explore the show floor and learn even more about the latest trends in retail. Here’s a look back at what we demonstrated in our booth, as well as some of the key trends we noticed around the show.

    The Star Booth

    Our booth this year was one of our best yet! We chose to create a mock shopping mall, complete with a candy store, apparel boutique, and even a sports stadium. In our “mall,” we demonstrated:

    The mCollection:

    One highlight of our NRF booth this year was our latest line of mPOS products, the mCollection. Built with the latest technology, the mCollection features sleek and modern printers, scales, and peripherals to offer the full hardware solution, for a variety of industries. The mCollection now also features its very own stand that unifies all of the peripherals and even hides all clunky cables. The lineup’s clean, sophisticated look (and high-end scales) lends itself perfectly to cannabis and confectionery markets, so that’s what we demonstrated this year at NRF!

    PromoPRNT:

    In-store marketing and customer retention are always hot topics that retail brands want to improve upon. To assist, Star created PromoPRNT, a value-added tool that allows retailers to engage and reengage customers where it matters the most – in the store! By offering printed promotions and information, you can encourage loyalty among customers, with the printer you already use. To educate NRF visitors on PromoPRNT, we set up an “In-Store Marketing” booth, and it was a hit.

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    The pioneer of PromoPRNT, David Salisbury.
    Our Partners:

    We were very happy to host some of our best partners in our booth this year. On the software/point of sale side, we demonstrated with Appetize, Apptizer, Evoke, Mad Mobile, SuiteRetail, Vend, and Veras Retail. And when it comes to hardware, we proudly displayed ArmorActive, BOX IT, Elo, Heckler Design, Innovative, Mimo Monitors, nClose, and SpacePole.

    IMG_3671-e1574802546974
    A kiosk example from our partner, Evoke.

    Trends from Around the Show

    Self-Service Kiosks:

    Self-service kiosk technology was everywhere at NRF! The need for kiosk printers is quickly expanding as consumers prefer a more fast-paced experience. Star offers printing solutions to fit any kiosk – whether it be for ATMs, lottery, self-ordering, or retail.

    Smart Displays:

    Smart displays that incorporate dynamic data were another trend we spotted at NRF. An interesting example of this was a demo featuring electronic grocery shelf labels that displayed featured recipes, country of origin, competitors’ prices, and more.

    Experiential Retail:

    From a bar demo where you created your own drink, to a session focused on architecting an immersive customer environment, experiential retail was a hot NRF topic. Today’s consumers are looking for an authentic, hands-on shopping experience, and that trend was very clear this year at the show.

    We had a blast at NRF 2019 and can’t wait for NRF 2020!

  • Star Micronics Introduces the “Star Select Club” for ISV Partners

    Star Micronics Introduces the “Star Select Club” for ISV Partners

    Star Micronics presents a new, three-tier loyalty program for ISVs that offers exclusive benefits and resources

    Somerset, NJ – January 21, 2018 – Star Micronics, a leading provider of point of sale and customer engagement technology, is proud to introduce the Star Select Club.

    The Star Select Club is designed for software developers that either offer Star Micronics’ products, or have created a solution to be used for or with Star products. With this membership, ISVs will gain exclusive access to the Star ISV Partner Portal online. The portal contains beneficial information including developer resources, technical support, marketing materials, sales support, and more.

    Partners are able to join the Star Select Club at tiered levels, which will be determined by Star Micronics on a case-by-case basis. Upon sign-up, members will be informed on what their tier level is, what it includes, and how to advance.

    The three Star Select Club Levels are:

    Bronze: The Bronze level includes access to the Star Partner Portal website filled with technical support and marketing resources, a sales support call with Star Micronics, and the opportunity to be added to Star’s Certified Software page.

    Silver: The Silver level includes everything in the Bronze tier, as well as digital marketing initiatives, exclusive pre-release product information, and sales support.

    Gold: The Gold level contains all the benefits from Bronze and Silver, and also consists of dedicated technical and marketing support with first-pick selection of co-marketing activities.

    “We deeply value our partnerships with ISVs,” says Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development at Star Micronics. “Because of this, we are always looking for new ways to provide them with additional value. We’ve been committed to building this loyalty club for the benefit our software vendors and are looking forward to the launch of this program.”

    To register for the Star Select Club, please click here.

    For questions regarding membership, please contact Brianna Moriarty at bmoriarty@starmicronics.com.

  • NUSHOP Online Ordering System Partners with Star to Revolutionize SMB Restaurants and Retailers

    NUSHOP Online Ordering System Partners with Star to Revolutionize SMB Restaurants and Retailers

    When it comes to point of sale (POS) and online ordering technology, it can be difficult for small and medium sized businesses (SMB) to compete with the resources of large chain competitors. Gone are the days where it was enough to have an in-store POS system. In today’s omnichannel marketplace, it’s imperative for restaurants and retailers to have a website. Not only that, but consumers have come to expect the convenience of online ordering. For SMBs, the costs (not to mention the time) to keep POS and online ordering technologies functioning seamlessly are dizzying.

    This is precisely what motivated Ali Bakhtiari, a software engineer, and former restaurant chain owner, to establish NUSHOP Online Ordering System. Now a global provider of managed, cloud-based POS and online ordering systems, NUSHOP offers the functionalities of enterprise grade technology at an affordability that’s ideal for SMBs.

    Free Online Ordering Resources

    Social distancing has deeply affected our customers in the restaurant industry. That’s why Star Micronics is offering free online ordering resources for VARs and ISVs helping restaurants navigate the implementation of online ordering.



    Download Online Ordering Toolbox

    The Situation

    NUSHOP offers the latest functionalities of POS systems and online ordering used by corporate competitors, to businesses of any size at a fraction of the cost. With modules for both the food industry and any kind of retail business, NUSHOP sets up a tablet POS system and website for under $1,000 and then provides software and maintenance support of both for only $100 per month. This removes the burden of management from store owners, who now can focus more time and energy in running the business instead of running technology.

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    The NUSHOP’s cloud-based system automatically processes online orders, sending them directly to both your business’ in-store POS and order printer. The system can support an unlimited number of printers and cash registers for both single and multiple store locations. Consumers can select options for pick-up or delivery, and the system automatically sends the orders to the ideal location for delivery based on zip code. Best of all, store owners have peace of mind knowing that the entire system can be restored in a matter of minutes should a major issue arise.

    For NUSHOP’s system to provide greatest efficiency and profitability for its customers, the right printing technology would be essential.

    The Solution

    The NUSHOP team partnered with Star Micronics for the technology that would provide the sophistication and processing power required to complement their streamlined POS and online ordering software. This included Star Micronics’s CloudPRNT, as well as two printer models, the TSP650II and TSP700, and two Value Series cash register models, the CD3-1313 and CD3-1616.

    Is your restaurant ready for the growing online ordering trend? Find out now!

    CloudPRNT allows for cloud-connected control of peripherals enabling printers and cash drawers to speak directly with NUSHOP’s server, saving time, increasing efficiency in order processing, and significantly decreasing the chance of error.

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    Both the TSP650II and TSP700 printer models have the ultra-high class-leading reliability and performance ideal for high-volume retail and restaurant establishments. With lighting fast print speeds of 60 RPM (receipts per minute), rugged construction, and thermal printing that withstands damage from heat and spills, the Star Micronics printers provided all the functionalities necessary for dependability and enhanced workflows.

    Star Micronics’ printers were coupled with the cost effective and durable Value Series cash drawer models CD3-1313 and CD3-1616. The CD3 models integrate seamlessly into retail and restaurant environments, particularly where counter space is at a premium, and enhances the appearance of your POS terminal.

    The Results

    NUSHOP customers find that once their domain name is setup and product photos approved, the NUSHOP system and Star Micronics CloudPRNT software can be up and running in a matter of minutes. Star Micronics printers and cash drawers are operational in seconds, needing only to be plugged into an electrical outlet.

    Back office training can be done in less than an hour, and customers appreciate the ability to assign different roles to employees regarding what they can or can’t see or do within the system.

    For the NUSHOP team, Star Micronics’s specialized technology supported their overall vision to provide a managed POS, website, and online ordering system that allowed SMB’s to gain a competitive edge against corporate chains, while improving productivity and profitability.



    Download Success Story

  • Dale Carnegie Training Recap: Our Top 3 Takeaways

    Dale Carnegie Training Recap: Our Top 3 Takeaways

    Star Micronics family.
    A part of the Star family who visited Arizona.

    Last month, we had the pleasure of visiting sunny Scottsdale, Arizona to attend a Dale Carnegie training that taught us some of the best tips and tricks to sell mPOS in today’s market. As we all know, technologies are always changing, and it’s a good idea to refresh your skillset in order to do your best and offer your best to your customers. Although we manufacture POS solutions, there were three key takeaways we received from the Dale Carnegie training that are also relevant for ISVs, resellers, and SMBs alike. Read on to get some good business tips, no matter what industry you’re in.

    1. Don’t Just Hear – Listen

    Our first takeaway sounds easy, but is often overlooked. When engaging with colleagues and customers (and friends and loved ones, too) don’t just hear what they’re saying – truly listen. Paying attention and really listening to what the other person is saying will not only improve your relationship, but also help you remember the conversation more fully.

    The beautiful landscaping at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort and Spa.
    The beautiful landscaping at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa.

    2. Mix It Up

    It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you have a lot on your plate. To avoid things slipping through the cracks, mix up your tasks! Categorize your to-do list by things that already happened that you need to work on (responding to older emails), items that pop up in the present (a report that is due today), and things you need to deliver on in the future (writing a draft that’s due next week). Then, choose a task to begin with, and work one-by-one and alternate the type of task as you go. This will help you keep a variety of tasks in the foreground of your mind.

    Dale Carnegie training.
    Learning about the importance of mental attitudes.

    3. Choose the Right Attitude

    Last but not least, is a good lesson in developing a healthy, productive perspective. Per Dale Carnegie:

    “It isn’t what you have, who you are, where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it. Two people may be in the same place, doing the same thing; both may have about an equal amount of money and prestige – and yet one may be miserable and the other happy. Why? Because of different mental attitudes.”

    Thanks again, Dale Carnegie of Arizona, for having us and teaching us your ways!

  • Star Micronics and Veras Retail to Offer a Simple and Powerful Point of Sale for Specialty Retail

    Star Micronics and Veras Retail to Offer a Simple and Powerful Point of Sale for Specialty Retail

    Veras CheckOut for POS and Veras Extend for mobile POS, along with Star’s mC-Print3 printer, enable retailers to conduct effortless checkouts and orders across multiple channels

    Somerset, NJ – January 10, 2019 – Star Micronics, a leading manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is proud to announce that Veras Retail, a leading provider of point of sale, inventory, omnichannel execution and CRM software solutions, now supports the new Star mC-Print3 thermal printer. Together, Star Micronics and Veras Retail are providing retailers with a point of sale solution that is designed to complement—not duplicate—their merchandising and ERP systems.

    Veras CheckOut for point of sale enables retailers to effortlessly carry out corporate strategies with a powerful pricing engine, enterprise-wide visibility into inventory levels, and the ability to access customer information and orders across channels. With built-in integrations to leading EMV-capable payment solutions, the solution enables retailers to effectively and simply follow PCI standards. It also features a variety of omnichannel “save the sale” capabilities, allowing customers to save items in their online cart and then purchase in-store. Veras Extend for mobile POS uses the same data and business logic as Veras CheckOut, enabling store associates to interact with customers anywhere on the sales floor.

    Paired with Star Micronics’ mC-Print3 printer, Veras CheckOut and Veras Extend offer an intuitive user experience and maintenance. The mC-Print3 offers a compact footprint, and is equipped with multiple interfaces and HUB capability, allowing retailers to power their POS peripherals such as customer displays or barcode scanners, directly through the printer.

    Veras CheckOut and Veras Extend with Star’s mC-Print3 also come ready-to-use with Star Micronics Cloud Services, including PromoPRNT. PromoPRNT allows retailers to simply create and schedule printed promotions, coupons, surveys, and more. The Star Micronics Cloud Dashboard hosts hundreds of drag-and-drop shapes, icons, and text, along with pre-designed promotion templates. The dashboard also provides customer data for when a promotion is printed or redeemed.

    “We are committed to providing retailers with best-in-class store systems solutions that enable them to provide a seamless shopping experience and build better relationships with their customers,” says Rohit Vir, CEO and Founder of Veras Retail. “Partnering with technology leaders like Star Micronics is a key part of our business strategy. We are pleased that our Veras CheckOut and Extend users can benefit from the integration with Star’s mC-Print3 printer.”

  • 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

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    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!

  • Star Micronics to Highlight Latest mPOS and Customer Engagement Solutions at NRF 2019

    Star Micronics to Highlight Latest mPOS and Customer Engagement Solutions at NRF 2019

    The mCollection – an mPOS line featuring printers, scales and a variety of peripherals – will be demonstrated in a simulated shopping mall

    Somerset, NJ – January 07, 2019 – Star Micronics, a leading manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is excited to attend NRF 2019, where it will demonstrate its new mCollection in a mock shopping mall located at booth #3601.

    The mCollection includes a variety of mPOS technologies, including Star’s newest printers, the mC-Print2 and mC-Print3, as well as scales, mPOP accessories, and peripherals including barcode scanners and customer displays. Featuring a sleek, unified design and easily integrated with the most modern ISVs, the mCollection is geared towards cannabis, grocery/deli, jewelry, pharmaceutical, restaurant and retail industries. PromoPRNT, Star’s value-add in-store marketing tool, will also be demonstrated at the show.

    In its booth, Star will also feature several of its partners’ technologies, including Appetize, Apptizer, Evoke, Mad Mobile, SuiteRetail, and Veras Retail. A variety of giveaways will be available to booth visitors, including candy, T-shirts, and tote bags. Additionally, a grand prize will be raffled off to an attendee who visits each simulated shop.

    “Star is looking forward to returning to NRF this year,” said Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development at Star. “We believe that in our mock shopping mall, we will demonstrate the strong value our mCollection has for many of today’s – and tomorrow’s – hottest markets.”

  • Star’s Top 5 Blog Posts of 2018

    Star’s Top 5 Blog Posts of 2018

    Happy New Year! To celebrate the beginning of 2019, we’re taking a look back at our top five blog posts that were published in 2018. But don’t be confused: just because these were our top blog posts last year, they certainly still have value today and beyond.

    Read on to discover everything from how to implement an iOS POS system and how blockchain can optimize retail stores, to the benefits of digital signage and the importance of properly managing cannabis receipts. Happy reading!

    1. 3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Apple POS System with AirPrint Receipt Printers

    AirPrint-With-drawer-cropped-e1574795965801

     

     

    Apple POS systems are extremely popular in many industries including retail, restaurant, hospitality and more – and that’s sure to remain the same in 2019. But how can you get the most out of your iOS POS setup? This blog post dives into three ways to do just that with AirPrint, from printing receipts directly from your device to controlling your cash drawer remotely.

    2. 5 Benefits of Digital Signage Solutions

    My-Post-e1574796095841

    Digital signage displays do more than just look good – they’re a great way to boost your business’ marketing strategy! Discover the many benefits digital signage can offer you, including grabbing customers’ attention, providing dynamic updates, being cost-effective, boosting impulse purchases, and increasing in-store digital and social media presence.

    3. The Ultimate Guide to Building Your iOS POS System

    The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Building-Your-iOS-POS-system-e1574796222219

     

    Another iOS POS post reached the top of our ranks this year – can you tell the systems are popular? In this blog post, we walk you through how exactly to set up the ideal iOS POS system, from choosing the right device to creating an aesthetic appeal … and everything in between!

    4. 3 Things Cannabis Retailers Need to Know About Cannabis Receipt Regulations

    Cannabis-Blog-e1574796358246

     

    Not surprisingly, one of our top posts in 2018 was about cannabis. Also not surprising is the fact that cannabis retailers need to pay close attention to cannabis receipt regulations, which is what this post is all about. There are three main things you need to stay on top of if you’re a marijuana retailer: adhering to your state’s requirements, managing your cannabis receipts, and including all of the required information on the receipts. Read on!

    5. The Future of Blockchain in Retail

    Blockchain-Innovation-in-Retail-e1574798838700

    Blockchain, or an incorruptible digital ledger, is here to stay. It might sound a little intimidating, but in this post we explore how retailers small and large can use blockchain technology to improve the consumer experience, streamline the supply chain, and optimize payments and contracts.

    Thanks for reading! Happy New Year!

  • 6 Top Retail Trends Coming in 2019

    6 Top Retail Trends Coming in 2019

    It’s December, which means a new year is right around the corner. Along with the big ball drop and lots of confetti, the New Year is also bringing a slew of retail trends. From multi-channel nurturing to the continuing growth of artificial intelligence, let’s take a deeper dive into the top 5 retail trends coming in 2019.

    1. Experiential Retail

    This first retail trend probably comes as no surprise: today’s consumers want to feel more engaged. Simply remodeling your store isn’t enough – you need to create an experience. Some examples of this include “pop-ups” that feature your best products (even if they aren’t for sale), in-store classes and workshops, incorporating your brand’s apps in brick and mortar stores, and more.

    Speaking of apps, there are many types to choose from. Some features of today’s retail apps include:

    • Showing product aisle location, price, current stock, specs, reviews, etc.
    • Shopping list creation and coupon access
    • Augmented reality (AR) functionality, enabling customers to try on clothes virtually, see what products would look like in their home, visit “invisible” pop-up shops, etc.

    Using apps will not only make your store (and brand) more fun – it will benefit your customers, too. According to a recent study, over 60% of consumers say AR could improve their daily lives, including how they shop. By implementing AR into your retail marketing strategy, you’ll stay on top of the trend that’s predicted to attract 1 billion users by 2020 – and grow to $90 billion in size.

    2. Multi-Channel Selling

    Don’t let the changing retail environment scare you – there’s certainly still a place for brick and mortar. But the key to your success involves more than just the physical storefront: you must appeal to customers online, as well.

    It’s not just speculation – it’s been shown that consumers embracing multi-channel shopping is a true retail trend. For example, on Black Friday this year, 54% of shoppers reported shopping both online and in physical stores. The time to funnel effort into your e-commerce approach (from your website to your social media strategy) is now.

    3. Innovative mPOS Systems

    Next year, point of sale (POS) systems will continue expanding further into businesses’ marketing and customer engagement strategies. Mobile point of sale (mPOS) systems are a perfect example of that transition. Because mPOS systems are deployed on mobile devices, they enable employees to bring the transaction to the customer, decreasing wait times and greatly improving the

    Star-mCollection-e1574800629417
    Star’s mCollection can help you bring the transaction to the customer.

    shopping experience. mPOS (and some traditional POS) can also enhance your brand’s marketing by allowing you to communicate and schedule coupons, promotions, job openings, and more via your receipt printers – all from one centralized device.

    4. Corporate Social Responsibility

    In this day and age, consumers don’t want to shop just anywhere – they want to purchase high-quality products from companies that care. Topics such as food waste and plastic pollution are making headlines left and right, and it’s more important than ever to practice what you preach. From sourcing locally to encouraging volunteerism, there are many ways to embrace corporate social responsibility (CSR) that can better the world – and align with your business objectives. Some examples of the business benefits of implementing CSR initiatives include improved brand reputation, operational cost savings, increased employee productivity, and a greater ability to attract and retain talent.

    5. Data Driven Workflows

    Data is king. If you build strategic data collection into your business model, you can then leverage it to improve everything from sales and marketing, to operations and customer service.

    What does this look like? Big box retailers such as Walmart are using machine learning to optimize home delivery routes, and the technology could also be used for stocking and inventory, marketing and product placement, theft monitoring and more.

    6. Artificial Intelligence

    While the peak of artificial intelligence (AI) usage may still be a couple of years out, there’s no denying that AI is a growing trend – and a quickly growing trend, at that. Siri, Cortana, and Alexa are being utilized more and more, and it’s predicted that AI will follow a path similar to mobile shopping (starting off slow, then becoming a major channel for purchasing). This year consumers might just ask their virtual assistant for the forecast, but next year they could be asking to buy your product.

    Is modernizing and optimizing your retail store on your list of New Year’s Resolutions? Discover how mPOS solutions can help you increase sales and improve customer satisfaction in our e-book!