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  • What to Consider When Purchasing a Cash Drawer

    What to Consider When Purchasing a Cash Drawer

    To some, a cash drawer might just look like, well, a cash drawer. But when it comes to choosing a cash drawer as a business owner, cash drawers become a bit more complex. How will it fit in your space? Is it big enough to accommodate your day-to-day transactions? What kind of till do you need? The list of considerations goes on and on.

    Star is here to make the cash drawer selection process a bit more transparent and easier for you. Let’s explore the five key things to consider when purchasing a cash drawer:

    1. Connectivity

    First, let’s discuss connectivity options when it comes to cash drawers.

    The most common type of connectivity for cash drawers is a printer driven interface, which means the cash drawer is controlled through the printer’s DK port. The DK port, which stands for Drawer Kick, sends a 24V DC signal to open the cash drawer and is used in the majority of cash drawers.

    Another way to open a cash drawer is quite obvious: manually with a key. Most cash drawers have both DK port connectivity, and manual key access.

    Lastly, there are also wireless cash functions controlled by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. These cash drawers are not as common, and tend to be more expensive.

    2. Size and Style

    The next topic to consider is one of the most important: how big of a cash drawer do you need, and what kind of cash drawer should you choose to match the look and feel of your counterspace and other POS components?

    On the market, there are normally two different sizes for cash drawers: a smaller option (typical 13” x 13”) and a larger option (typically 16” x 16” and larger). When choosing a cash drawer size, be sure to keep in mind considerations such as if you have items (like a keyboard) that needs to fit on top of the drawer, or if the drawer needs to be a specific height to fit under a counter.

    You may also choose a cash drawer color to match the other parts of your POS. For example, if you have a white receipt printer and white tablet-based POS/stand, choosing a white cash drawer will help provide a sleek look to your counter.

    How Star Can Help

    Even though each store is unique, balancing cash drawers is one thing every store has in common. Star Micronics offers the tools you need to make balancing your cash drawer as simple and painless as possible. For more information on the solutions we offer, contact Star Micronics today!



    Star’s Cash Drawer Solutions

    3. Cash Flow

    Next on your list of considerations is cash flow. What kind of currency do you accept? Do you accept a lot of physical coupons? What about checks?

    Cash drawer tills (the part of the cash drawer that holds the money) come in several different sizes and bill/coin layouts. Some tils have room for the US standard (five bill and four coins). Other tills come with room for more coins or more bills depending on if larger, higher value bills, such as $50 and $100, are accepted. There are also available tills for Canadian and Latin American currencies.

    Handle a lot of coupons, checks, and higher value bills? Be sure to choose a cash drawer with media slots, or slots on the front that feed into a hidden space underneath the till, to securely store these items.

    4. Durability

    Next on the list of considerations (and something that is very important) is durability.

    What type of material is the drawer made of? Is it made of steel, or a different material? Cash drawers like Star’s, which are made of steel, are highly durable which not only makes your investment more worthwhile, but is also a security feature.

    Another thing to consider is how many cash drawer opens is included in the product’s warranty? Be sure to choose a warranty that includes at least 1 million opens.

    5. Security

    Last but certainly not least on your list of considerations should be security. There are a few different security options to look for:

    • An additional lock that secures the drawer itself to the counter.
    • A locking till cover, so when you need to take the till to the back office at closing time, cash can’t be stolen during transport.
    • A universal key, so that cash drawers are easier to open in a rush and during an emergency there is no need to look through a huge key ring for the correct key.
    • A manual release options, so you can open the cash drawer no matter what. Manual release is quicker than waiting for a Bluetooth signal and even faster than some DK port signals.

    Meet Star’s Cash Drawers

    Cash-Drawers-Stacked-TW

    With three lines of cash drawers with a variety of features and price points, Star Micronics is proud to offer cash drawers for any budget or application. Learn more about each series below:

    • Value Series: The Value Series includes cost-effective cash drawers that integrate seamlessly into any retail or hospitality environment with a standard printer communication interface and bottom exit cable, hidden from the customer’s view. The cash drawers also feature four lock functions: locked, closed, online (opens electronically), manual open, and locked open.
    • Choice Series: Choice Series cash drawers include features businesses already know and love, but with added features such as extra strength to support touch tablets and POS terminals, a secure dual-drawer cable to enable the Choice Series to work as either cash drawer 1 or cash drawer 2, a foldable hinged key which minimizes the possibility of breaking off in the lock, and over 10 different lock set options for added security.
    • Max Series: Max Series cash drawers are the premier choice for retailers. Featuring durable, high quality drawers with Kensington lock compatibility and sleek Star branding, the cash drawers are designed to securely manage cash while delivering professional looks. The cash drawers also feature four lock functions: locked, closed, online (opens electronically), manual open, and locked open.

    Explore all of the cash drawers now.



    Cash Drawers

  • How Small Businesses Can Stand Out on Social Media

    How Small Businesses Can Stand Out on Social Media

    Owning a small business can make it difficult to compete with the big brand names that everyone already knows. The advantage that SMB retailers have compared to “big-box” retailers is their opportunity to create an authentic and unique experience for each of their customers. While you may feel like you’re being overshadowed by the big guys, here are a few ways to stand out on social media.

    Start a Vlog

    Benefits:

    Video is taking over the way people consume information. A fun way for small businesses to showcase their products and expertise about their business is to start a vlog, a.k.a, a video blog. Video blogs can cover topics from a new clothing line you’ve just started carrying, to fashion tips, to a personal entry about the success of our small business.

    Vlogs are also great for promoting events and one-time sales. Aside from that fact that online videos now account for more than 80% of Internet traffic, a vlog creates a better sense of authenticity than your standard blog. This gives you a better opportunity, not just to increase the foot traffic in your store, it allows you to create a community with your frequent shoppers.

    How to do it:

    The great thing about vlogging is that it doesn’t need to be filmed in a fancy production studio. All you really need to start a vlog is a smart phone and an idea of the type of content you want to share with your viewers.

    A great starting point for a vlog is to film an overview of your business, what inspired you to start it, and a tour. This introduction is a perfect way to create loyal viewers and customers who are interested in learning more from your vlog. And if you’re camera shy, try asking a friend, employee, or business partner to take the lead with your creative input!

    Run Seasonal Campaigns

    Benefits:

    For retailers, you may find yourself needing to update your store for every season. This is especially true for clothing stores. By creating seasonal campaigns, you are not only letting your audience know that you are all set for the upcoming season, but showing them that you know what will be trendy for the upcoming season.

    Seasonal campaigns are beneficial because they allow you to get very visual in your social media posting – which is great since Facebook posts with images see 2.3 times more engagement than those without images, and as of June 2016, there are more than 500 million Instagram users.

    seasonal-social-e1574800068484

    How to do it:

    In order to announce your brand new stock of inventory for the upcoming season, you’ll need to create a visually appealing seasonal campaign. There are a few ways to do this.

    In addition to the aforementioned vlog, try creating some promotional videos to help promote the new inventory coming in. Capturing visuals of outdoor seasonal scenes will trigger your audience to visit your store for a new winter coat. In addition to video content, Instagram and Pinterest are the perfect platforms to look to when promoting a seasonal campaign.

    According to Shopify, 93% of Pinterest users use the platform to plan their next purchase. Hootsuite found that 75% of Instagram users are taking action, such as visiting a website, after viewing an Instagram post. By visually promoting products that are appropriate to the season on platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram, you’re much more likely to turn those “likes” into sales.

    Leverage User Generated Content

    Benefits:

    User generated content is a great way for small businesses to stand out on social media because it means that people are paying attention to and care about your business! By definition, user generated content includes any form of content such as blogs, wikis, discussion forums, posts, chats, tweets, podcasts, digital images, video, audio files, advertisements and other forms of media that were created by users of an online system or service, often made available via social media websites.

    Put in more simple terms – user generated content is content posted by your customers about your business. This can include anything from an Instagram user posting a photo of them wearing an item from your latest clothing line, to a shopper writing a blog article about your business. Not only does user generated content often result in free advertising, but it helps you reach a wider audience through your customers’ network.

    How to do it:

    I know what you’re thinking – how do I encourage my customers to create content about my product? There are a number of ways to push that content out of your shoppers. The easiest way to do this is simply to use social media to interact with their audiences. If someone tags you in a post, make sure to leave a comment! There are also a number of social media monitoring tools that will help you scan for posts that mention your business but don’t tag your page. Surprising one of your frequent shoppers with a comment on their Instagram photo is almost guaranteed to increase customer loyalty and stand out to all of their followers.

    If you’re looking to boost your user generated content, try hosting a contest. Photo contests are probably the most popular way to get see more user content. For example, if you are the owner of a fashion boutique, try holding a photo contest on Instagram asking people to pose with their latest store purchases. You can create a hashtag for users to post along with their photos; that way, you can easily track who is participating in your contest, and choose a winner! People will notice the hashtag and it will help you stand out to a wider audience than you initially started with.

    Competing with large retailers doesn’t have to be a ton of work. Standing out on social media has allowed retailers to connect with their customers on a more personal level, and will continue to advance in favor of business owners. Sometimes all it takes to stand out is the initial interaction.

  • How to Choose a POS System for Salons and Boutiques

    How to Choose a POS System for Salons and Boutiques

    Retailers that make a living helping clients look and feel gorgeous need to look amazing themselves, so electronic clutter and outdated technology doesn’t fit the bill.  Choosing a point of sale (POS) system for salons requires extra attention to style, whether it’s hardware design or an installation that needs an added level of detail.

    However, don’t choose a POS system based on looks alone. Think carefully about the software: do you need inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), reports, or time keeping? It seems like common sense, but don’t paint yourself into a corner by selecting a package that leaves out important features.

    Once you’ve made a list of what you need, it’s time to shop around. Choose a POS system for salons that includes these six necessities.

    1. Functionality: POS systems for salons should be easy to learn and use and allow employees to complete a transaction in as few clicks as possible. If you cater to repeat clients, select software with an integrated CRM. This allows you to track customers’ buying habits and preferences. You can use this information to make recommendations based on past purchases or send clients coupons and incentives to make a purchase or schedule an appointment.

    2. Employee management: Employee management is an important, multifaceted function of a POS system for salons and boutiques. Labor schedulers make it simple to schedule employees for work, swap shifts or duplicate a previous week’s schedule. They also help you make informed decisions about scheduling, so you are not caught under or overstaffed. Depending on the software, employee management functions give you a bird’s eye view of how many employees are working and what jobs they are performing that day.

    3. Printed promotions: Very few receipt printers come with cloud software that allows you to create and schedule printed promotions for free. Choosing a Star Micronics printer for your salon POS system will grant you access to a full suite of Star Cloud Services, including PromoPRNT. PromoPRNT will empower salon owners to create custom promotions, manage them remotely, and schedule them to run at a pre-determined time. Increase customer retention with a limited time 20% off brow wax offer. Boost customer retention with a monthly 15% off of a cut and color.

    4. Sales and inventory reporting: Many POS systems for salons allow you to see sales and inventory information in real time, so you can keep tabs on business throughout the day. These systems also include a variety of reporting options that give you the opportunity to see sales by the shift, hour, day, week, month, or year. Running sales reports help salon and boutique owners identify which styles and product lines customers can’t get enough of and which ones are ready for markdown. Knowing what the top selling items are helps ensure they’re always in stock and in prime position on the sales floor.

    5. Inventory control: Knowing which items are hot helps you manage inventory levels so you aren’t overloaded with unsold products while running out of the ones customers want. POS systems for salons and boutiques can greatly reduce the amount of time you spend searching for items that are in stock, so choose one with the proper inventory control functions. A multilocation business can use its POS system to determine which locations have the items available and arrange for shipping.

    6. Aesthetics: When it’s your business to make people look beautiful, you need to keep up appearances. Choose a stylish POS system for salons that fits with your business’ reputation. Appearances matter, so you can’t afford to have wires hanging around or dated hardware. The checkout is a customer’s last stop before they leave, so a fast transaction on beautifully designed hardware leaves a positive, lasting impression as clients depart.

    The term “salon quality” has come to mean top of the line. Insist on the same standard for the technology you choose for your business. A purpose-built POS system for salons and boutiques will give you the features that meet your unique business needs, allow you to provide great customer service, and equip your business to operate successfully.

  • The SMB Guide to Retail Promotions

    The SMB Guide to Retail Promotions

    The weather is getting warmer and school’s almost over for the year. SMBs are shifting gears for summer months, lining the shelves with warm weather merchandise. Customers are ready for some fun in the sun, but they’re looking for deals to affordably stock up for summer camp and trips to the beach.

    E-commerce sales have outpaced brick-and-mortar store growth, but effective retail promotions will help you compete with online goliaths. It’s important to focus on your existing customer base because marketing experts agree that it’s less expensive to retain customers than it is to acquire new ones. How much exactly? According to the Harvard Business Review, it ranges from 5 to 25 times more expensive to attract a new customer than it is to generate repeat business.

    Brick-and-mortar stores still have the upper hand over online competitors when it comes to instant gratification and the face-to-face service experiences that shoppers crave. Supercharge these advantages by combining them with effective retail promotions that draw in foot traffic, giving customers can’t-miss reasons for wanting to shop in your store.

    1. Discount Promotions

    It’s natural to think that the easiest way to give sales figures a boost is to run discount promotions however, it’s important to ensure there’s enough long-term value to justify the short-term discount. Bundling is a great way to encourage shoppers to spend more money. Couple related items for a discount—for example, purchase a beach towel and get a bottle of sunscreen for 50% off. Partnering less popular items at full price with discounted best sellers is a smart way to move inventory quickly while still earning a profit.

    2. Utilize “Free” in Your Promotions

    Free items or small “tokens of affection” can go a long way toward making shoppers feel their business is appreciated. Customers are more likely to return to your store if they feel they are being rewarded for buying items they need or value, so “buy one, get one free” can inspire shoppers to stock up. This is especially effective for special event-related merchandise that’s headed for the markdown bin after the season is over. Retail promotions such as “purchase a $100 gift card and get a $10 gift card free,” are also popular because consumers feel like they are getting a bonus with their purchase.

    3. Coupons, Coupons, Coupons

    Coupons are a great way to get people to try new products at a lower price, and if the product lives up to expectations, pay full price the next time. In addition, coupons like “spend $50 and take $10 off” give people an incentive to buy a few more items to reach the $50 goal, and let the shopper choose which items to purchase. Merchants can use their POS solutions to reduce the cost of printing coupons by generating offers in-store. Printing coupons on receipts allows you to reach a higher percentage of shoppers because you can be sure the customer receives it, and it gives your sales associates an additional opportunity to engage customers before they leave the store.

    4. Limited-Time-Only Retail Promotions

    Discounts or items that are only available for a short amount of time creates scarcity and a sense of urgency to purchase. For example, flash sales that happen between certain hours will force people to purchase in that time frame. Daily deals give the perception that the deal will last only as long as the items are in stock. Use these tactics to your advantage with summer deals.

    Although the retail landscape is competitive, SMBs can employ smart retail promotions to help attract new shoppers and retain their customer base. Coupons, free products, discounts, and limited-time-only sales can make an already-great, in-store shopping experience too irresistible to pass up.

    Star’s PromoPRNT allows you to easily customize promotions that print directly on receipts.



    PromoPRNT

  • 4 Ways to Use Offers, Coupons, Discounts and Deals to Drive Revenue and Customer Loyalty

    4 Ways to Use Offers, Coupons, Discounts and Deals to Drive Revenue and Customer Loyalty

    At Star Micronics we’re a POS tech engagement company obsessed with adding value to retail stores and small businesses. We became a leading global manufacturer of mobile point of sale (POS) and customer engagement technologies through many years of building simple-to-use and reliable products such as receipt printers. In 2017 we created innovative partnerships at  Star Micronics Cloud (formerly called Star Cloud Services) which have helped solidify our position with tens of thousands of independent business users and hundreds of thousands of devices sold.

    Today we want to present to you how to use promos, discounts, coupons, and deals to generate ROI and increase basket size at your store and local business. Creating offers cheaply that engage customers at the POS and at the time of sale is key for developing memorable offers that lead to repeat customers and long-term customer loyalty.

    1. Create Promos Easily on Receipts

    The physical receipt is now a key marketing real estate in 2018. With the advent of our solution called PromoPRNT, you can easily create ads at the POS that quickly and efficiently create marketing campaigns on your store’s best deals, offers as well as QR-code-based coupons.

    With Promo Maker and Promo Manager, retailers can create in-store ads on receipts that convert shoppers and get eyeballs with the greatest ROI and also improve word-of-mouth benefits for your small business. Since PromoPRNT allows for the customization of the offer, receipt-based promos can drive revenue 24/7 automatically with POS ads. The solution is available to registered users on the Star Micronics Cloud.  

    sophatar-webinar-screen-e1574796452796

    Source: screenshot from Sophatar Webinar hosted by Star Micronics.

    2. Sync Digital Signage with Post and Receipt Data

    Sophatar is a Digital Signage startup with whom we have created an innovative solution with Sophatar® POS Signage™.  Easy-to-install digital screens help increase basket size, enabling retailers to produce more ROI from their top selling products. This means that through a simple software subscription, small businesses can easily create discounts, promos, and deals that integrate with POS data from Star Printers, directly and automatically creating contextual and dynamic signage that shoppers can see at physical locations.

    This essentially enables any retail or hospitality business to implement professional digital signage that’s smart and can easily integrate with mobile coupons and loyalty cards, with no need for customers to install a mobile app. This not only creates customer loyalty, through engaging customer experience in-store but also deals that shoppers cannot resist. As the offers are generated and displayed, based on existing sales data, the best selling items can be displayed, driving higher revenues and increasing average basket sizes at your location.

    3.  Mobile Loyalty Offers Paired with Seasonal Campaigns

    For promotions and loyalty offers that sync with a retailer’s Email and SMS marketing campaigns, it’s essential to onboard top customers into a customized loyalty program. From here, retailers and brick-and-mortar stores can drive ROI from events, seasonal campaigns, free product giveaways, birthday messages and other strategic discounts where loyalty points can drive in-store traffic.

    Automated customer communications inside loyalty programs build and strengthen existing relationships with a retailer’s best shoppers. Thirdshelf is the ideal software for independent retailers to accomplish this:  

    • Creating a loyalty program out-of-the-box
    • Segmenting customers and tracking loyalty analytics
    • Automating Email and SMS marketing offers

    Nurturing high-value customers can drive revenue and increase customer loyalty through tailored and highly segmented marketing campaigns that reach the smartphones of shoppers.

    4. Creating an Omnichannel Loyalty Experience

    In an era when retailers need to create customer experiences in-store, at Star Micronics we believe that creating immersion in-store at the POS — via promos on receipts, via digital signage and mobile that can all work together to create promotions whose benefits stack, generating ROI at physical locations and increasing sales.

    This is also a seamless loyalty strategy that is affordable even for retailers who operate from a single physical location. Secondly, the offers created via PromoPRNT, Sophatar® POS Signage™ and Thirdshelf complement different touch-points of the customer journey that create irresistible offers while boosting customer loyalty.

    What the three solutions mentioned all have in common is that they exist to help retailers automate marketing at their retail location and at the POS, in-store, and via mobile, to create the best customer engagement at the lowest cost.

    Yes, really.

    Coupons are still the top-performing marketing and promotional tools for businesses. Learn more in our free eBook.



    Download eBook

  • 3 Ways to Market Your Small Business for Less

    3 Ways to Market Your Small Business for Less

    When you’re an independent retailer or a small business owner, marketing funds tend to be limited. Not only are you already competing with the big franchise retailers, but reaching and engaging with your target audience can be especially difficult because you may not have the tools and budget available to develop a massive marketing campaign like your competitors.

    All is not lost! Big box or even online retail marketing will not kill your business just yet. We now have the technology right at our finger tips to reach and connect with large audiences for little, to no cost. Here are three easy ways to market your small business and engage with customers without breaking the bank!

    1. Social Media

    Social Media is crucial for any small business. According to Digital Trends, “people in the U.S. check their Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts a staggering 17 times a day, meaning at least once every waking hour.” With people spending that much time on social media, it is almost a guaranteed way to gain business exposure.

    Since there are now so many different social media platforms available with almost all of them offering a free sign up, social media is an excellent strategy for engaging with customers and building a larger audience for your business. Social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are great for engaging with people because it allows your customers to tag you in Tweets and Instagram photos, or post directly to your wall on your business Facebook page. These social media platforms are also effective at encouraging potential shoppers to visit your website or even better, initiating conversation with customers because it allows you to integrate “call-to-actions” such as clickable links, photos, polls, lead-generation cards, and more right into your posts. This is especially great for retail because you can create social media posts about a special product, and then lead shoppers right to the website to purchase; and it’s free!

    If you’re struggling to gain a good social media following, remember to communicate with your customers that you are active on social media. Utilize your social media pages to advertise sales, contests, and special promotions. If people have a reason to follow you, they will!

    2. Create Content

    When owning a small business, whether that be a clothing store, coffee shop, or salon, it can be tough to compete with big name franchises that already have such a large base of loyal customers. How can you help your customers be confident in the fact that your coffee tastes better than Starbucks, or that you have the scoop on the next big fashion trends that Macy’s has yet to start selling? Create content!

    Owning a website or blog for your business is the best way to communicate your knowledge with customers and increase the amount of customers visiting your store. Your website or social media page is usually the first thing a person looks to when taking interest in your new business or product, so why not fill them with your abundance of knowledge for what you do?

    Creating content or having a blog is a great way to communicate what’s new and trendy with your customers. For example, if you own a clothing boutique, starting a fashion blog is the perfect way to draw consumers to your website. It shows shoppers that your store not only has the best new clothes and accessories, but that your store knows what fashion trends are going to be the ‘next big thing’.

    3. Digital Receipts

    It seems so simple, right? Every customer is going to receive a receipt at the point of purchase. Now think about how you can use those receipts as a marketing tool!

    We’ve all seen the surveys that big box retailers tell you to fill out at the bottom of the receipt to win a $500 shopping spree, and we’ve all ignored them and thrown those receipts away at one point or another. Today, with your shoppers armed with smart devices, you have a better chance at engaging with customers by going digital. There are a number of digital receipt solutions, but Star Micronics’ AllReceipts® offers a free, convenient digital receipt app that is beneficial for retailers and for shoppers.

    While many digital receipt solutions require the customer to give up personal information such as their email address or phone number, AllReceipts allows the retailer to directly connect with the customer without needing any of their personal information. AllReceipts has features and tools such as Customer Survey, Flip, and Engage NOW that allow retailers to receive instant feedback from shoppers, provide their customers with promotions and coupons by utilizing the back side of the receipt, and encourage customers to visit their website or social media page. AllReceipts is a great marketing tool for retailers and allows them to offer their customers a digital receipt option, all while engaging with customers and encouraging them to come back to their store. What’s more, AllReceipts is free for retailers to install with any Star Micronics receipt printer.

    Bottom line: Competing with large franchises can be difficult to do when you’re an independent retailer or a small business, but there are tons of free tools out there to market your small business. Star Micronics recognizes this, and that is why we want to help you be a better retailer!

    For more information on AllReceipts®, please visit www.starcloudservices.com.