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  • 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.”

  • 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!

  • 3 Must-Have Restaurant Back-of-House Technologies

    3 Must-Have Restaurant Back-of-House Technologies

    A restaurant’s “back-of-house” generally refers to three parts: kitchen (the largest component), offices, and staff break room/rest area. A restaurant with a well-run back-of-house operation increases customer satisfaction, empowers staff to provide a higher level of customer service, and prepares the consistent, quality meals your customers expect at every visit.

    Essential restaurant back-of-house technologies like a kitchen display system, durable receipt printers, and an all-in-one point of sale system help your kitchen run more smoothly so the front-of-house doesn’t suffer from long waits for a table, poorly timed service or incorrect orders.

    Here are three restaurant back-of-house technologies that your eatery should implement right now:

    1. Kitchen display system (KDS)

    A kitchen display system streamlines food preparation. This critical restaurant back-of-house technology helps manage customer expectations by preventing kitchen backups, monitoring prep times and alerting staff when things start to go awry. The KDS also lists out cooking directions/ingredients to ensure that diners have the same delicious experience every time they visit your restaurant.

    A kitchen display system connects to the point of sale terminal and consists of software, a monitor that can resist moisture and heat, controller, and a bump bar to scroll through the orders. When the customer is finished ordering, data is sent through the kitchen controller to the appropriate location, either to a single screen or multiple ones at different food prep stations.

    Selections are time stamped, labeled with the customer’s name and sent to the appropriate prep area at different times to ensure everything will be finished and served to the proper person simultaneously. This means diners will never have to wait for their friends to be served while their meal gets cold or receive their appetizer with their dinner being served immediately after.

    1. Fast, tough receipt printer for orders

    Receipt printers are an integral part of your restaurant back-of-house technologies. However, an immaculately well-run kitchen is full of hazards for electronic components. Overuse, heat, spills, particles and steam can harm a restaurant kitchen printer, causing expensive work slowdowns, bottlenecks, and mistakes.

    Restaurant owners looking for a quality printer for their kitchen should consider a durable receipt printer that can withstand this harsh environment. To guarantee a healthy ROI, the receipt printer chosen should be spill-proof and insect-proof. Additionally, consider a compact model that won’t take up much valuable back-of-the-house counter space. Ensure that the printer you choose is flexible and able to connect with future hardware by selecting one with a multi-interface. For example, the mC-Print3 fills all of these requirements, plus grants access to a suite of free value-added Star Cloud Services.

    1. All-in-one point of sale systems

    All-in-one point of sale (POS) systems are exactly what the name implies: POS systems that include all the important components in space-saving configurations. The best all-in-one POS systems will give end-users the ability to add peripherals, upgrades, and new options as they come to market.

    All-in-ones typically include a touchscreen, printer, cash drawer, and magnetic stripe reader, with the option of adding other peripherals such as a scale, bar code scanner, additional security options, and displays. In addition to the mC printers, Star’s mCollection includes 1D scanners, 2D imagers, customer display, and three NTEP-certified scales.

    All-in-one POS systems can save a business money, time, and counter space. These systems have a much smaller footprint then a stationary terminal which frees up space for taking orders and impulse purchases. Purchasing an all in one POS means the components are equally rugged and designed for the environment you’re working in. This will also eliminate any headaches and runaround from different vendors when it’s time to make repairs to the system.

    Take a Wholistic View of Your Operation

    Restaurant back-of-house technologies can be just as important to profitability and customer service as solutions your restaurant uses in the front of the house. Evaluate your entire operation for areas that can operate more efficiently and find solutions that can address those issues, helping you save time and money.

  • RetailNOW 2018 Recap

    RetailNOW 2018 Recap

    This year, RetailNOW 2018 ran from August 5th to 8th at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention center in Nashville, Tennessee. In this post, we’ll do a short recap of some of the trends and our own experience of it at Star Micronics and our growing ecosystem of partners.

    RetailNOW was buzzing this year on Twitter under the hashtag #RetailNOW2018. It’s held by RSPA, a trade association comprised of resellers, ISVs, manufacturers, payment processors, distributors, and other POS and tech ecosystem participants.

     

    Star Micronics had some exciting new products to showcase such as our mCollection including new printers and scales, which got a fair amount of attention at RSPA.

    RetailNOW is an important event for POS tech since it combines resellers with both hardware and software ecosystems. The point of sale industry is being challenged right now with channel sustainability and thus the role RSPA plays is crucial.

    Star Micronics’ booth was #803 and our set-up looked like this:

    RetailNow-2018-Booth-e1574798655138

     

    We held a contest where those who entered could win an Amazon Echo Spot. Our new mCollection series was well received, especially our scales.

    m-collection_with-logo02-e1574798680532

    With over 160 exhibitors and a packed agenda, RetailNOW 2018 was the ideal event for us to showcase our mCollection series that has been designed with the latest tech to deliver products that are especially compact in size, sleek, and offer the easiest setup in the industry with a reliable and remarkable user experience. Where our mCollection truly shines is in connectivity–each printer has multiple connectivity options including Bluetooth, CloudPRNT, Ethernet, and of course, lightning USB and traditional USB options.

    RSPA speakers had warm reception that looked like this:

    DkAy4R9V4AE48MM-e1574798703265

                              Image credit: RSPA Twitter

    The inaugural RSPA women of the year in 2018 was Abby Sorensen. On the ISV insights panel, the importance of finding partners who need your software but who also have the same DNA was mentioned. The RetailNOW 2018 event also included golf, free head-shots at the photo booth on the show floor, and many other perks. Many speakers added value around the best practices for ISVs, VARs, and Vendors.

    Tips for Value Added Resellers (VARs)

    POS VARs are evolving how they see the emerging ecosystem:

    Jim-Roddy-Presentation-Image-e1574798741922

                           Image credit: Jim Roddy on Twitter

    RSPA is really committed to providing year-round education on topics relevant to its community with everything from tech boot camps to regional events and global expansion. VARs are also increasingly relying on automation tools to streamline their business.

    Capture-e1574798762533

                      Image credit: Jim Roddy on Twitter

    VARs know what works for them in terms of the top lead generation tools. For many of them, product catalogs, software overview videos and educational content such as buyers guides, e-books, lists, and live chats work really nicely. RetailNOW 2018 was full of educational content for VARs, Vendors, and those in related POS tech industries.

  • Star Micronics Introduces the mCollection

    Star Micronics Introduces the mCollection

    Somerset, NJ – August 1, 2018 – Star Micronics, a leading global manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is happy to announce the release of their latest line of products: the mCollection.  The mCollection was designed with the latest technology to deliver products that are compact in size, sleek in design, and provide an easy setup and wonderful user experience.

    The central pieces of the mCollection are the printers: the mC-Prints.

    The mC-Print2 and mC-Print3 are the collection’s 2- and 3-inch front-exit thermal printers designed for easy loading and low maintenance.  Each printer provides multiple connectivity options, including Ethernet, traditional USB, Lightning USB, Bluetooth, and CloudPRNT, which allow for versatile use throughout retail locations. These printers can also be cloud-connected allowing any retailer to use Star’s latest printed promotion tool, PromoPRNT. The printer’s stylish, compact design compliments any brand and works with any modern retail environment, even when counter space is limited. Both of these printers have an integrated hub and provide the ability to connect peripherals.

    The additional peripherals include the sleek and compact 1D scanners and 2D imagers. These products can communicate directly with the host or through the Star printer hub.

    Also available in the mCollection is the customer display.  The customer display is offered in the two mCollection colors, black and white, and can fit perfectly on the mPOP or on the latest mC-Print printers.

    Finally, Star is adding three digital NTEP certified scales to the mCollection. Two of these MG-scales (MG-S322 and MG-1501) are perfect for the cannabis industry, while the third one is designed for generic retail (MG-8200).

    Another big benefit of the mCollection is that all products are controlled through Star’s common SDK software providing a quick, easy, and simple tool for integration by software developers.

    “The mCollection is creating a lot of interest because it meets today and tomorrow’s retailer needs for flexibility and mobility with a future-proof design,” said Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development at Star Micronics.

  • Star Micronics Offers First Look at New, Innovative Solutions at NRF 2018

    Star Micronics Offers First Look at New, Innovative Solutions at NRF 2018

    Somerset, NJ – January 26, 2017 – Star Micronics, a leading global manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS) and customer engagement technologies, showcased its newest innovations at NRF 2018 Retail’s Big Show.

    NRF 2018 was held in New York in the Jacob K. Javits Center from January 14-16 and Star Micronics exhibited its latest POS innovations in booth #2745, including:

    1st AirPrint® receipt printer

    The TSP654II is the first receipt printer on the market with Apple AirPrint® Certification.  This printer will work seamlessly with all Apple® devices, ensuring quick set up and high-quality receipt printing. The TSP654II AirPrint will enable Apple users to continue with the familiar AirPrint experience while using their Apple iOS® POS system.

    mCollection

    mC-Print: Chic, Compact, Complete Printer Collection

    Star Micronics new mC-Print receipt printers were designed specifically to expand Star Micronics’ Mobile POS solutions. This mPOS printer is stylish, chic, and compact. With multi-interface support and peripheral connectivity, this Cloud Service-ready receipt printer is equipped to handle retailers’ needs with style.

    mPOP™ + Peripherals

    Now, the mPOP has additional optional peripherals for merchants to choose from, such as 2D barcode scanner, scale, customer display, and port to external cash drawer. With these added peripherals, retailers and restaurateurs can transform their mPOP into a complete, versatile point of sale hub in order to accept a wider variety of transactions in higher volume.

    PromoPRNT

    PromoPRNT is a new service available to Star Micronics Cloud Services members that empowers retailers to create printed promotions in addition to receipts. PromoPRNT delivers two services through the Star Micronics Cloud Services Dashboard, Promo Maker and Promo Manager. Promo Maker is a simple way to create and design receipt promotions. Promo Manager allows retailers to schedule the length of a promotional campaign and to view insights from their campaigns.  Ultimately, with these PromoPRNT tools, retailers will be able to deliver incentives directly to shopper’s hands.

    Sophatar® POS Signage™

    Sophatar® POS Signage is another new service available to all Star Micronics Cloud Services members for a low monthly cost. This innovative digital signage solution analyzes retailers’ POS sales data through the Star Micronics printer and Star Micronics Cloud to display popular sales items.  If the retailer doesn’t have images of best-selling items on hand, Sophatar® POS Signage will automatically search for images using UPC codes and textual descriptions of the products.

    This year’s booth partners:

    “If you spent some time at our booth at NRF 2018, thank you,” Said Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development at Star Micronics America, Inc. “We have so many innovative and groundbreaking solutions scheduled for release in 2018. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to give the industry a sneak peek.”

  • NRF Retail’s Big Show 2018 Recap with Star Micronics

    NRF Retail’s Big Show 2018 Recap with Star Micronics

    Thank you to everyone who took the opportunity to stop by our booth and check out our latest retail technology solutions. If you missed us, we offered a sneak peek at several of our newest technologies and solutions for 2018.

    Here are just a few of the innovative solutions Star Micronics had on display.

    mCollection

    Our new mCollection includes products that will expand the functionality of our mPOP solution. mC-Print2 and mC-Print3 were big hits with all of our visitors.

    mPOP + Peripherals

    Merchants can now transform the mPOP into a complete point of sale hub and accept versatile transactions at a greater volume. The mPOP is able to integrate with an increased number of peripherals, such as a 2D barcode scanner, scale, customer display, and port to an external cash drawer.

    mC-PrintsSocial-e1574795857757

    mcPrint2 and mcPrint3

    Stylish and sleek, these printers were made to look great with your mPOP. These attractive and Cloud Service-ready receipt printers support multiple interfaces and peripheral connectivity. These little printers look fantastic and are ideal for handling your business needs with style.

    TSP650IIAirPrint®

    This receipt printer works seamlessly with all Apple® devices and is the first printer of its kind with Apple AirPrint Certification. With quick and, easy setup, high-quality receipt printing, this printer is ready to hit the ground running out of the box. Most importantly, it will allow Apple users to continue with the familiar AirPrint experience while using their Apple iOS® POS system. Cash drawer control from your Apple device has also become a reality with the TSP650IIAirPrint.

    Sophatar® POS Signage™

    Available at a low monthly subscription, this digital signage solution solves three common problems retailers run into when purchasing a digital signage solution. First, it’s affordable. Second, it searches by the UPC codes and product descriptions of your products to automatically generate content and display them on your digital signs. This eliminates the time you spend hunting down images and content to display. Lastly, it creates dynamic content updates based on your sales data. In this way, it’s always displaying your best selling products.

    IMG_20180116_095546782-e1574795879666

    PromoPRNT

    Available through the Star Cloud Services dashboard, this new service will empower you to create printed promotions on your receipts. PromoPRNT includes two separate services, Promo Maker and Promo Manager. Promo Maker is a quick and easy way to design receipt promotions and add them to your printer receipts. Promo Manager is the tool that allows the length of a promotional campaign to be scheduled. Merchants can also track promotion campaign insights through the Promo Manager tool. With PromoPRNT, you will be able to deliver incentives directly into shoppers’ hands.

    We also featured several of our vendor partners in our NRF 2018 booth, including Vend, SuiteRetail, Biztracker, and nClose.

    See you next year NRF!

    IMG_20180115_171943860_BURST001-e1574795904468

  • Star Micronics at NRF 2018

    Star Micronics at NRF 2018

    Stop and see us at NRF 2018 to get a first look at our new, innovative technology solutions.

    NRF-Retail-booth-number-e1574795795687There are lots of reasons you should attend NRF 2018 Retail’s Big Show. Between powerful, future-driven content, and the latest retail technology solutions, it is an opportunity you’d be sorry to miss. And we know you’d be sorry to miss the great line up Star Micronics will be showcasing in booth #2745.

    Here are just a few of the hot ticket items we’ll be displaying in our NRF 2018 booth.

    mCollection

    We are showcasing our new mCollection at NRF 2018. Stop by to explore how these products will expand and enhance the functionality of your mPOP.mPOP + Peripherals

    We’ve expanded our mPOP functionality, giving it the ability to integrate with additional peripherals, such as a 2D barcode scanner, scale, customer display, and port to the external cash drawer. Retailers, transform your mPOP into a complete point of sale hub! You will be able to accept more versatile transactions at a higher volume.

    mcPrint2 and mcPrint3

    These receipt printers are Star Micronics’ brand new innovations designed specifically to look sharp with your mPOP. Stylish, chic, compact, and, most importantly, fully functional, these good looking little receipt printers support multiple interfaces and peripheral connectivity. It is Cloud Service-ready and equipped to handle your needs with style.

    TSP650IIAirPrint®

    The TSP650IIAirPrint works seamlessly with all Apple® devices and is the first receipt printer on the market with Apple AirPrint Certification.  Boasting a quick and easy setup and high-quality receipt printing, the AirPrint will enable Apple users to continue with the familiar AirPrint experience while using their Apple iOS® POS system. It also allows cash drawer control straight from your Apple device. We think that’s pretty cool.

    Sophatar® POS Signage™

    This digital signage solution is available at a low monthly subscription. It solves the three common problems retailers run into when purchasing a digital signage solution. One, it’s affordable. Two, it automatically generates content by searching for the UPC code of your most popular products in order to display them on your digital signs. You won’t need to hunt down product images for display. And, three, its content updates are dynamic. No more boring static playlists. The solution analyzes your sales data and displays your best selling products through a networked media player.

    PromoPRNT

    PromoPRNT is available through the Star Cloud Services dashboard and will enable you to create printed promotions on your receipts. PromoPRNT delivers two services, Promo Maker and Promo Manager. Promo Maker is a simple way to create and design receipt promotions. Promo Manager will allow you to schedule the length of a promotional campaign and to view insights from your campaigns.  Ultimately, with these PromoPRNT tools, you will be able to deliver incentives directly to shopper’s hands.

    We’ll also be featuring some of our great vendor partners in our booth, such as Vend, SuiteRetail, and BizTracker.

    If this isn’t enough incentive to get you to NRF 2018 and to our booth, we’d love to buy you a cup of coffee! Simply stop by our booth and participate in the PromoPRNT demo and we’ll give you a $5 Starbucks gift card.

    We look forward to seeing you there!