Author: Heidi Orpilla

Coming Soon: Star at NRF 2020!
It’s hard to believe, but another year, another decade, and another NRF are upon us! NRF 2020 Vision: Retail’s Big Show “is the centerpiece of NRF Retail Week, where the entire industry unites to get a whole new perspective. NRF convenes the largest community of movers, shakers and industry makers who come together to see beyond what is, to reveal what could be. NRF 2020 is where visionary talent meets visionary tech and the latest and greatest becomes the here and now!”

The Star team is excited to head back to NRF in 2020, and will be located at booth #5419. Read on to discover what will be in store with Star this year, from our new mPOS technologies to our rooftop party.

Star Solutions at NRF 2020

Get hands-on experience with Star’s latest mPOS technology in our NRF “main street,” featuring a café, retail store, and bath and body shop. With sleek tablet solution stands, easy-to-integrate printers, certified scales, and much more, Star is bringing big things to the big show in the big city!

mUnite Stands
- POS Enclosure
- Universal VESA Mounting
- Hidden Cable Management
- For mC-Print3, mPOP^TM, and TSP143III/TSP654II
- Supports Any iOS, Android, and Windows Tablet or Touchscreen Computer
mC-Print3 (with NEW Technology Features)
- Sleek, Compact, Connected
- Simple User Experience
- Easy to Integrate through Common SDK
- Bluetooth, USB, Lightning, LAN, CloudPRNT
- IPX2 Splash-Proof Design
- Coming Soon: Printer Will Deliver Power and Ethernet to iPad!
Self-Service Kiosk Printers
- Available in Compact and Modular Designs
- High Print Speed
- 2”, 3” and 4” Paper Widths
- Available with StarPRNT or ESC/POS Emulation
- Wide Variety of Accessories Available
PromoPRNT
- Make Custom Promotions from Templates
- Manage Promotions from Anywhere
- Increase Customer Retention
- Make Each Customer Visit Unique
Featured In-Booth Partners

Elo’s product portfolio includes a broad selection of interactive touchscreen displays from 10-70 inches, all-in-one touchscreen computers, OEM touchscreens and touchscreen controllers and touchscreen monitors. Elo’s touchscreens can be found in in gaming machines, interactive kiosks, hospitality systems, point-of-sale terminals, wayfinder displays, interactive retail displays, transportation applications, and more.

Erply’s cloud-based, full-featured point of sale solution has helped them become a recognized leader in the retail POS space. Erply POS serves retailers large and small, and they’re well-known for their comprehensive POS features, world-class API, highly secure servers, personable customer support, and mobile applications.

imageHOLDERS designs and manufactures tablet enclosures, iPad kiosks and innovative mPOS solutions which allow your business to engage customers and drive sales. Their patent pending design process means we are the only company in the world who can securely display any Windows, Android or iOS tablet, giving your business the freedom to choose a device that best suits your needs.

Kiosk Group is a privately-owned, Maryland-based company that many leading companies, organizations, and government agencies trust and rely upon for interactive kiosks. Kiosk Group has developed both hardware and software for hundreds of interpretive exhibits, transactional kiosks, sales exhibits, and training programs.

nCLOSE manufactures custom Point of Sale (POS) protective enclosures to house and protect tablets and mobile credit card readers. With nCLOSE, rest assured that your Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is in the exact same place you left it, when you turned your back to help a customer.

PredictSpring is the unified commerce platform to connect consumer and store associate experiences. PredictSpring innovative technology powers Modern POS, mPOS, Clienteling, and Native Mobile Apps for brands and retailers.

Sitoo is a world-leading cloud-based Mobile Point of Sales (mPOS) for global retailers. With a razor sharp focus on the digitalization of brick-and-mortar retail, Sitoo makes the physical stores a natural part of the omnichannel shopping experience – helping retailers sell everywhere and fulfill anywhere.

Sophatar is a Silicon Valley based Software Company providing innovative solutions for higher customer engagement in retail, hospitality and enterprise markets, including digital signage. The solutions utilize a software-as-a-service business model and run on commercially available hardware.

SuiteRetail’s SuitePOS is a single fixed-lane and mobile point-of-sale app for in-store check-out and clienteling. SuitePOS functions without any compromise to CRM, marketing, inventory and financial integrations.

Tulip’s powerful, yet simple-to-use mobile apps enable store associates to easily look up products, manage customer information, check out shoppers, and communicate with clients. The end results are amazing customer engagements, great customer experiences and higher sales.

Vend enables retailers to accept payments, sell in-store and online, manage their inventory, reward customer loyalty, and report on their business in real time. Launched in late 2010, Vend is now used in over 20,000 stores across 140 countries and is continuing to grow at a rapid pace.

Star’s Rooftop Party

Soak in the beautiful New York City view at Star’s rooftop party! Join us for a night filled with valuable networking, an open bar, and a spread of light snacks.

When: Sunday, January 12, 2020, 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Where: Monarch Rooftop, 71 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

Who: You and your guests are welcome to join the event!

See you soon at NRF 2020!

Discover Star’s Retail POS Solutions
December 12, 2019
Greene Street Expands to a Greene Neighborhood

From its origins as a small consignment shop in the ’90s that sold a hodgepodge of furniture, clothing, appliances, and more, Greene Street has evolved into the multi-location franchise it is today, spanning across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Though it operated successfully as a single-location consignment shop, when the business passed from the original owners to their daughters, Greene Street began to shift its focus from an eclectic assortment of general goods to a fashionable and environmentally-conscious clothing reseller.

As consumers become more aware of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the disposable fast fashion industry that has made a home in today’s retail space, Greene Street has risen to provide a sustainable shopping alternative, offering mid- to high-end labels at a fraction of retail prices at all of its 10 locations.

The Challenge

As the popularity of ethical consumerism grew, Greene Street expanded along with it. The original point of sale (POS) system that had worked well enough for the retailer in the past no longer addressed the challenges of the growing business. Greene Street needed a POS system that could be tailored to their specific industry, with built-in buy/trade software.

Greene Street was looking for a feature-rich system with robust reporting and analytics software that would allow the owners to view critical sales and purchase data. They needed to keep more accurate records of what customers were buying and what they desired.

With the additional locations that they have opened, they also needed the ability to transfer items from store to store without needing to manually pull items and re-key them into the system.

Additionally, they needed a more convenient way to advertise employment opportunities and bring in applicants so they could appropriately staff the new locations.

The Solution

After researching its options, Greene Street chose Celerant command software, which has built-in buy/trade software and can be easily customized and modified based on the needs of the retailer. At the time of the install, Greene Street had seven locations with 11 register stations, which were all fitted with the Celerant solution, as well as the TSP143III Windows setup. As the brand added new stores, Celerant scaled with it, and is currently used in all 10 locations.

In addition to Celerant command software, Greene Street chose to use Star Micronics PromoPRNT software for its seamless integration into the Celerant system and its ability to make custom printed promotions and receipts.

After determining the solution they wanted to use, Greene Street went live within a couple of months for the first location, and added on a store every two months for the rest. When they added PromoPRNT, they were able to train employees on the software and go live the same day.

The Results

After implementing the Celerant software, Greene Street was able to expand and add three more locations to the franchise. The integrated loyalty program enabled the retailer to foster better customer relationships and review critical data that helped with promotional marketing.

The POS software also provided more robust analytics, which allowed them to know the inventory and profitability of the products in their store. Celerant software accommodated the easy transfer of products from store to store, and provided necessary tools for streamlining operations and improving productivity.

Once the Star Micronics PromoPRNT software was integrated, Greene Street was able to solve many of its hiring challenges. The software allowed management to design and schedule promotions to be printed, and it was easy to install their own templates. Additionally, pre-loaded templates and fonts were available and easy to use.

Greene Street used the PromoPRNT solution to print receipts that advertised job openings, which allowed the retailer to spend less time recruiting candidates. They have received more applications since implementing the solution, and have been able to adequately staff all of their locations.

Browse Success Stories

December 10, 2019
Your Guide to Choosing Eco-Friendly Receipts
This is the fifth and final part of “Keep the Receipt,” a five-part blog series about the various advantages paper receipts offer to businesses and consumers, and why you should elect to choose to offer – and accept – paper receipts.

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It’s more important than ever to do your part to help preserve the environment. While some people’s first impression of receipts may be that they are not environmentally friendly, there are some steps you can take to ensure you are choosing eco-friendly receipts.

Choosing receipts – and a receipt printer supplier – that practice environmentally friendly measures is an easy and important way to do your part while still providing printed receipts that many customers still prefer and business operations require.

Discover The Value of Receipts: Printed and Digital.

Here are three tips to help you choose eco-friendly receipts:

Star is proud to provide BPA-free, recyclable premium grade printer paper rolls. Authentic Star paper rolls are easily recognized by the Blue Core.

1. Choose BPA-Free Receipt Paper

Studies have shown that 90% of receipts contain the chemical BPA (Bisphenol A). While there is conflicting evidence about whether or not the level of BPA found on a receipt is dangerous to human health, why not skip the worry and choose BPA-free receipt paper?

When you choose the right high quality, BPA-free receipt paper – like Star’s – you can also rest assured that your paper is working efficiently with your printer to extend the life of the print head, provide longer paper lengths for fewer paper changes, and prevent jams and clogs. These paper rolls also support Star’s warranty compliance and are offered in convenient pack sizes.

2. Opt for Recyclable Receipt Paper

Tying into the above point about choosing receipt paper that is free of BPA, it’s also important to choose receipt paper that is recyclable. There are forms of thermal receipt paper that should not be recycled, but guess what. You can recycle BPA-free receipt paper like Star’s!

According to the American Forest & Paper Association, over 68% of paper was recycled in 2018, and the organization hopes to hit 70% in 2020. Why not contribute to that effort by choosing recyclable, eco-friendly receipts?

3. Choose an Environmentally Friendly Supplier

While choosing BPA-free and recyclable receipts is important, it’s just as crucial to choose a receipt printer (and paper) provider that prioritizes the environment.

Some examples of environment friendly initiatives to look for in a receipt paper and printer manufacturer are:
- Paper reduction tactics: Paper usage is a receipt printer’s largest negative burden on the environment. Choose a manufacturer that takes that fact into consideration and designs ways to reduce the severity of receipt paper’s ecological impact while maintaining user comfort and familiarity. Some examples of these tactics include options for reduced top margin, receipt length and width compression, digital receipts, and more.
- Energy efficiency: Although the cost to power a receipt printer is minimal, business owners can still benefit from energy efficient solutions. Be sure to choose an ENERGY STAR-qualified manufacturer. The ENERGY STAR qualification is a highly respected achievement, and in order for a product to obtain the qualification, it must meet strict energy requirements set by the government.
- Sustainable packaging: Every little step helps, so choose a printer manufacturer that uses recyclable packaging and provides electronic manuals.
- Environmentally friendly manufacturing: Look for a supplier that monitors and conforms to international laws and standards, obtains certifications, and investigates new ways to make products safe for people and the environment. Some examples of these environmental initiatives include:
  - ISO 14001 Conformity
  - RoHS (Restriction of use of Hazardous Substances) Compliance
  - WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Compliance
  - Yearly Environmental Activity Reporting
  - Green Procurement Guide and Survey Issuance, which is distributed to suppliers and enables the manufacturer to mandate and monitor the exclusion of particular materials during manufacturing processes
  Star is proud to offer all of these eco-friendly features – and more! Click here to read more about our environmentally friendly practices.
Ready to make the switch to an eco-friendly printer manufacturer?

Star’s 5 Best Printers
December 3, 2019
The Ultimate List of Must-Have Cannabis POS Hardware

The cannabis industry is booming – and it’s expected to continue doing so. According to Grand View Research, the global legal marijuana market is expected to reach $66.3 billion by the end of 2025, and each year brings new legalization across the world.

Whether you’re in the business of opening a cannabis business yourself or are looking to provide cannabis point of sale (POS) solutions to your customers, it’s important to understand the critical role cannabis POS hardware has and how to determine which products are right for your business.

Why Star for Cannabis?

Before we dive into the list of must-have cannabis POS hardware, let’s explore Star’s qualifications in the cannabis industry, and why you can trust our knowledge in the space.

Star is the top POS hardware provider in the cannabis industry. A true one-stop shop, we provide all the hardware solutions a dispensary could need, from front of house dispensary sales to labeling and weighing product during curation. Additionally, Star has integrations with approximately 85% of all cannabis POS software on the market today.

The Star team has a distinct understanding of the need for cannabis dispensaries to keep extremely detailed records –including inventory and movement of the product. We also understand that cannabis dispensaries tend to have a very clean and modern aesthetic, and have designed our products to fit that sleek standard.

Must-Have Cannabis POS Hardware

Now that we’ve covered Star’s qualifications and position in the cannabis industry, let’s get started with the ultimate list of must-have cannabis POS hardware. It’s important to note that while Star offers an entire portfolio of cannabis POS hardware, we don’t want to box anyone in, and this list can be referred to as a vendor-neutral guide, as well.

Receipt Printers

Receipt printers are extremely important in the cannabis market. When it comes to cannabis, proof of legal purchase is key – and there’s no better way to provide it than with a receipt printer. In some places, like Canada, it is illegal to possess cannabis deemed illicit, and without proof of purchase, all cannabis is assumed to be illicit. Carrying that illicit cannabis could result in a $5,000 fine or a five-year prison sentence! In the US, laws vary greatly by state and must also be carefully obeyed.

Along with providing proof of purchase, it’s important to note that depending on your region, receipts must also contain other information, like store name and address, product category/name, and the appropriate tax code/identifier.

Star’s Pick: mC-Print3

When you choose a sleek, modern, and connected printer, like the Star mC-Print3, legality and stylishness coexist to strengthen your brand.

Click here to learn more about the mC-Print3.

Label Printers

Next on our list is another kind of printer: the label printer. An important part of seed-to-sale tracking, printed labels have an important role in the entire cannabis production and retail process. Seed-to-sale tracking is a key requirement in cannabis regulatory models, and refers to the process of tracking plants and their byproducts from planting all the way through to the plant’s sale. Star is proud that its label printers are used by many cannabis ISVs for proper labeling during this process.

Star’s Pick: TSP743II

Label printing is made easy with the Star TSP743II, which features fast printing speed, high reliability, web and cloud connectivity, and more.

Click here to learn more about the TSP743II.

Custom Cannabis Labels

As mentioned above, labels are incredibly important for the cannabis industry. Star currently offers cannabis labels pre-printed with official, state-required universal symbols. These pre-printed cannabis labels are available in various sizes for all recreational markets.

Click here to learn more about Star’s media.

Scales

Yet another critical piece of cannabis POS hardware is the scale – but not just any scale will do. First, you must ensure the scale you are considering is legal to use in your state and NTEP-certified. Being certified means that the scales are ensured to charge the correct amount for the product being weighed. Another great feature to look for is a scale that is integrated directly into the POS. Why? Reduced risk of human error that is associated with standalone scales that cannot integrate with the POS.

Star’s Pick: mG-Scales

All three scales in the mG-Scales series are NTEP-certified and offer software support for Windows, iOS, and Android, making the process of adding a scale to an existing system a simple process. They are certified to sell cannabis in Washington, Alaska, and California, and come with a waterproof and dust-proof cover. Each scale has the ability to connect through three types of interfaces including Bluetooth BLE, USB, and Serial. The scales can be powered through an outlet or by battery to allow for portable use.

Click here to learn more about Star’s mG-Scales.

Successful Software Needs Successful Hardware

That’s where Star comes in. CDG proudly integrates its software tools with a variety of Star hardware including the all-in-one mPOP®, TSP654IISK linerless label printer, Value Series Cash Drawers, and more.

Download Brochure

Cash Drawers

Chances are you’re aware that the cannabis industry is currently predominately powered by cash. While marijuana is legal in many parts of the country, it remains illegal under federal law, which means dispensaries’ access to credit card processing options is slim. Thus, a reliable, high volume cash drawer is key!

Star’s Pick: Star CD3-1616

A part of the Star Value Cash Drawers line, the CD3-1616 is affordability meets performance. With a size of 16” x 16”, this cash drawer can accommodate a high volume of cash, is made of durable steel, and is available in black or white to match the existing POS. The CD3-1616 can accommodate Canadian and United States currency types, and includes a bottom exit cable.

Click here to learn more about Star’s CD3-1616.

Scanners

Scanners are an important part of the entire seed-to-sale process, from back-end warehouse operations, to scanning products at the point of purchase. Important features to look for are connectivity options and a design/color that matches the existing POS, if applicable.

Star’s Pick: 1D/2D Imager

These scanners are available in black or white, feature USB connectivity, include the cable, and more.

Click here to learn more about Star’s accessories.

PromoPRNT

Just like other businesses, cannabis dispensaries need to advertise, but what sets them apart is that they must adhere to strict advertising laws. For example, in multiple states including California and Colorado, over 70% of cannabis advertisement audiences must be over the age of 21.

An easy way to ensure marketing efforts are being communicated only to the intended audience is by printing those promotions on your receipts. With Star’s cloud-based PromoPRNT tool, dispensaries can create custom promotions from templates which increase customer engagement and retention, and can be used to promote sales, new products, loyalty programs, and more.

Click here to learn more about PromoPRNT.

Tablet POS Stand

As we discussed above, dispensary aesthetics are extremely important, not only from a branding and customer experience perspective, but also to legitimize the business to outsiders and newcomers. A great place to tie in style is at the POS, and an easy way to do that is by incorporating a sleek, space-saving POS stand into your arrangement.

Star’s mUnite tablet POS stand could be right for you. Made to be used with any iOS, Android, and Windows tablet or touchscreen computer, the mUnite features universal VESA mounting, hidden cable management, and is meant to be used with the mC-Print3, mPOP^TM, and TSP143III/TSP654II. Note: device, enclosure, and printer not included.

Click here to learn more about the mUnite.

Kiosk Printers

Dispensaries are sometimes limited to how many people they can allow inside at one time because budtenders need to be able to pay special attention to customers, and make sure they are recommending the right products. Some dispensaries are using kiosks to allow waiting customers to pick out what they want on screen, take the slip to the budtender, and simply just collect and pay for their items.

Star’s Pick: SK1-311

The SK1-311 kiosk printer is the best of the best. Compact and lightweight, it features a fast printing speed, supports receipt, ticket, or label media, and has many available accessories to choose from. An added bonus, the SK1-311 is available with StarPRNT emulation, meaning easy integration of kiosk solutions into any environment already featuring other Star printers.

Click here to learn more about the SK1-311.

Final Words

At Star, we’re proud to help dispensaries become more compliant in their operations. This compliance helps to change the perspective on the industry as a whole, getting everyone one step closer to federal legalization, and legal credit card payments. And of course, it is important for cannabis customers to receive printed receipts of their purchases to prove that their marijuana was purchased legally, and to receive applicable promotions.

We look forward to continuing to lead and innovate in the cannabis industry by developing sleek, feature-packed products designed to make every aspect of a dispensary’s operation streamlined, legal, and fruitful.

How Resellers Can Cash in on Cannabis Point of Sale

The cannabis industry has become one of the fastest growing markets. Here’s how resellers can take advantage.

Download eBook

November 19, 2019
Choosing the Appropriate Kiosk Printer: A Comprehensive Guide

Self-service technology, including kiosks with kiosk printers, continues to increase in popularity in a wide range of vertical markets. Retailers of all types, as well as quick-service restaurants, gas stations, parking lots, casinos, telecommunications companies, banks, transportation providers, and other organizations are implementing these solutions. According to a recent study by Technavio, the self-service market is estimated to reach $18 billion by 2020.

What’s more, consumer demand for access to kiosks is growing. For instance, a survey by InRetail revealed that 69% of shoppers are more likely to make purchases from stores with kiosks, than from stores that do not have them.

However, capitalizing on the self-service trend and consumers’ affinity for kiosks in any application — retail or otherwise — necessitates strategic kiosk printer selection. Choosing the right kiosk printer is a matter of understanding the business, the business environment, and customers. It involves careful assessment of the range of feature options. This guide presents a roadmap for selecting the kiosk printer that best suits the needs of an operation and its clientele.

Discover all of Star Micronics’ Self-Service Kiosk Solutions.

Free Self-Service Kiosk Resources

The future of many industries lies with self-service solutions. That’s why Star Micronics is offering free online ordering resources for resellers and software developers who are helping customers future-proof their businesses with self-service solutions.

Visit Self-Service Toolbox

Top 3 Key Considerations

The road to finding the right kiosk printer starts with a few key considerations. Here at the top three; find out the rest by downloading the full free guide now!

Size

In most applications, space for the kiosk — and the kiosk printer — is at a premium. For example, in a typical retail or hospitality environment, the area in which the kiosk is installed is not sufficiently large enough to accommodate a unit with a bulky peripheral. Therefore, you will want to look for printer options configured as “open frame” printing mechanisms. There should be no unnecessary casings that increase the unit’s size and occupy space that may be needed for other components to make the kiosk more user friendly.

Use Case

One of the most common mistakes in selecting a kiosk printer is designing the actual kiosk before the printer and other accessories have been chosen. To ensure that the kiosk printer really satisfies the requirements of your business, think first about the use case and its parameters. For instance, if the kiosk will be installed in an environment where transaction volume is high, and thousands of receipts will be printed daily, you may need a kiosk printer that accommodates very large rolls of paper. However, many kiosk printers have a slender design and cannot support these large rolls, or necessitate the purchase of a special attachment at an additional cost.

Customer Experience

A kiosk allows businesses to interact directly with customers, and provide high-caliber customer service, all while decreasing wait times. To kick things up a notch, you can select a kiosk printer that can support graphical printing at a high speed. This allows you to offer coupons, special promotion options, product information, and other materials that customers can print out on the spot, increasing their engagement level with your establishment, and cultivating repeat business.

Must-Have Kiosk Technologies

Here are the top three kiosk printer technologies and accessories that you will find essential, depending on the application (get the full list in our guide):

Presenter

A presenter increases security and supports customer privacy by ensuring that receipts are delivered only to the right person; if forgotten, they remain inside the kiosk where unauthorized parties cannot access them.

The presenter also offers other benefits that make it worthwhile. Perhaps most importantly, the presenter prevents paper jams from occurring if receipts are inadvertently left in the printer. This, in turn, decreases the incidence of operating interruptions that cause customer service delays, and have a negative impact on the customer experience.

What’s more, with a presenter, there is no opportunity for receipts or other collateral to fall to the floor if it is not delivered to the intended recipient. The end result is reduction in litter, and a cleaner-looking store, restaurant, or other business environment.

Bezel

The bezel is an alternative to the presenter. Typically positioned between the kiosk slot and the printer, it acts as a guide
to push paper out of the kiosk. If the best kiosk printer for your application is not designed to accommodate a presenter, or there is another reason why a presenter would not work with a particular kiosk printer model (e.g., space constraints), a bezel is a viable solution.

Paper Status Alerts

Kiosks are typically left unattended for extended periods of time. However, you’ll need to know immediately when a kiosk printer requires more paper. Select a kiosk printer that displays alerts when it is low or entirely out of paper.

Looking for more tips on key considerations and must-have technologies, and information on how to source your kiosk printer?

Download Brochure

November 14, 2019
Do You Really Need a Receipt?

This is the fourth part of “Keep the Receipt,” a five-part blog series about the various advantages paper receipts offer to businesses and consumers, and why you should elect to choose to offer – and accept – paper receipts.

The world has become digital – very quickly. In 1990, only 0.25% of the world population had a cell phone, and as of February 2019, it was estimated that more than 5 billion people have them. In today’s technologically advanced society, you might wonder if you still need a receipt. And guess what. You do!

In today’s blog post, we’re going to explore why you still need a receipt, whether it’s for a traditional reason like confirming a tip amount, or if it’s part of an omnichannel retail experience, like to be used with cashback apps. Without further ado, let’s explore why shoppers do indeed need a receipt.

While receipts are important, Star Micronics provides retailers with much more than just receipt printers – explore our full suite of Retail POS Solutions.

In the hospitality business? Check out our Restaurant and Kitchen Solutions and QSR Solutions!

7 Reasons Why You Need a Receipt

1. Immediate Itemized Information

Simply put, receipts are great at providing information. Many times, digital receipts provide basic transaction information, like a grand total, transaction date, and payment method. But with paper receipts, it’s a given that you’ll receive full itemized, line-by-line details – within seconds of payment.

Besides basic transparency into what you paid for, this line item information can be useful to confirm you received the correct discount/promotion, and can even come in handy if you accidentally set off the alarm at the store and need to quickly provide proof of purchase for a specific item (we’ve all been there).

2. Tip Amount Confirmation

It’s not unheard of to be charged the wrong amount for the tip you leave on the bill at a restaurant, bar, or other establishment. While most of the time the information was simply entered incorrectly by mistake and it is easy enough to correct the issue directly with the business, that’s a hassle that not many people have time for. By keeping your paper receipt and filling out the tip amount on your personal copy, it becomes easy to double-check the amount on your credit card statement and correct any issues that may arise.

3. Warranty/Return/Exchange Policies

When you want to check if your product is still under warranty or able to be returned/exchanged, you want that information to be easily (and quickly) accessible. A surefire way to promise that is by keeping a paper receipt for the purchase in question. While some systems allow for that information to be stored automatically, that process is tied to the credit card used for the original transaction. This can present problems if you no longer have the card, lost the card, or didn’t use a card for the original purchase. Keep reimbursement, return/exchange, and warranty issues simple by keeping the paper receipt for those important items!

4. Cashback Apps

Who doesn’t want a little extra cash? Luckily, there are a variety of easy-to-use cashback apps on the market today, like Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, Shopkick, and more. How do these apps work? It’s easy: you simply make purchases normally, and then scan your receipt to receive rewards. It’s a pretty great reason to keep the receipt, if you ask us.

And speaking of savings, if a business prints on-receipt promotions, those can be a great way to save money on future purchases and can be easily kept in your wallet so you don’t forget them during your next shopping trip.

5. Instant Account Information

You might see a pattern emerging: paper receipts are simply the best at providing fully detailed transaction information – instantly. That pattern also applies to providing account information instantly.

Take, for example, a bank ATM. You need to take some cash out, and you want to check your account balance. An easy and private way to do that is to retrieve a receipt from the kiosk printer, which lists your current account information. When you do that, there’s no need to engage in a second step (like opening an app or logging on to a website) to get that account information, and it’s easy to quickly look back on that information at any time.

6. Recordkeeping

Paper receipts are simply the best for recordkeeping! First, and arguably most crucial, it’s important to keep proper records for tax purposes. According to Investopedia, it’s important to hold on to receipts, “so you have a record of even the smallest expenses you incur for business, charity and your health. As those expenses add up, they can start to lower your tax bill.” On a business owner-level, the IRS has further details regarding what kind of records you should keep.

Receipts come in handy for other kinds of recordkeeping, too, like expense tracking for business trips, and personal budgeting. It’s also important to get a paper copy of gift receipts to make returns and exchanges easier/possible for your friends and family.

7. Private and Personal

The information provided on a receipt is personal, and in an ideal world, it is private. However, in a world filled with cybersecurity concerns (there is a hacker attack every 39 seconds!), it comes as no surprise that some consumers may feel hesitant about that information being stored in their email inbox.

A paper receipt stays right where it should – in your wallet! With a hard copy receipt, there’s no need to worry about your sensitive information getting into the wrong hands.

So – what do you think? When do you need a receipt? What other ways can they be useful? Let us know in the comments!

Be sure to tune into our fifth Keep the Receipt blogs, which will take a deep dive into the sustainable features of Star receipts.

Learn more about the Value of Printed and Digital Receipts

November 12, 2019
7 Easy Holiday Promotions for Small Businesses
The holiday season has arrived! For millions of consumers that means preparing for family dinners, decorating homes, and of course, buying gifts for friends and loved ones. Is your small business ready to not just survive the holiday shopping season, but thrive in it?

In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into current holiday shopping season data, and share seven easy holiday promotions for small businesses.

Discover all of Star Micronics’ Retail Solutions.

Holiday Shopping Season Data

First, let’s explore just how much shoppers are spending on the holidays, what they’re purchasing, and where.

According to the National Retail Federation’s winter holiday survey:
- Holiday shoppers plan to spend 4% more this year
- Consumers say they will spend an average of $1,048 this holiday season for items such as decorations, candy, gifts, and more
  - $659 is expected to be spent on gifts,
  - $227 is expected to be spent on non-holiday purchases, like food and decorations,
  - And $162 is slated to be spent on non-gift purchases for themselves and their families
- Shoppers between the ages of 35 and 44 plan to spend the most at $1,158.63
- 91% of consumers plan to celebrate the winter holidays this year
- 73% plan to use their smartphone or tablet to research or make a purchase
- 19% are early bird shoppers who started in September (or earlier!)
- Women are significantly more likely than men to wish for gift cards (67% vs. 50%)
- 48% of shoppers plan to leverage buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS)
- Holiday sales are forecasted to grow between 3.8% and 4.2%
- Holiday sales will increase to a total of between $727.9 billion and $730.7 billion this year, excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants
7 Easy Holiday Promotions for Small Businesses

From Small Business Saturday to New Years, the Star team has taken it upon ourselves to provide easy, ready-to-use holiday promotions for small businesses to leverage – all you need is a Star Micronics receipt printer!

With Star’s free, cloud-based marketing software, PromoPRNT, you can easily customize premade templates which print on the bottom of the receipt, sure to be seen by those who are holiday shopping (and those who plan to be in the near future). All you need to do is add your store name, and any other applicable information (a special product to promote, store hours, etc.) Promotions can be used to simply inform customers of an upcoming sale, or direct them to your website, social media accounts, and more.

Learn more / register for PromoPRNT.

The below templates for Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, New Years, and a general winter sale are now available and ready for you to customize in PromoPRNT:

Contact Star Integration Now
November 5, 2019
Receipt Marketing: How to Unleash the Power of Your Receipt
This is the third part of “Keep the Receipt,” a five-part blog series about the various advantages paper receipts offer to businesses and consumers, and why you should elect to choose to offer – and accept – paper receipts.

Ah, the receipt. Billions of transactions are made each day, and countless receipts are printed. But receipts can do so much more than provide transaction information – they can also be used for marketing, and today on the blog we’re going to share with you why receipt marketing is relevant, what benefits it can offer to retailers, and how to get started with your very own receipt marketing. Read on!

Paper Promotions are (Still) King

If you’re looking to communicate promotion messaging to your shoppers, look no further than the paper receipt. Yes, it’s true: even in the digital age, paper promotions are (still) king!

Did you know:

88% of all consumers use paper coupons

48% of consumers look for print coupons on a weekly basis

2/3 of milliennials look to paper coupons for offers to save money

90% of affluent shoppers use coupons

85% of consumers look for coupons prior to visiting a retailer

71% of consumers said they would use a featured coupon code from a print advertisement to buy online

…and the list goes on and on! Check out our coupon infographic to learn more.

And guess what? Coupons are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things you can promote via receipt. Keep reading to learn about other ways to leverage receipt marketing.

Receipt Marketing Enables Retailers to:

Provide Promotions to 100% of (High Quality) Customers

Ensuring your marketing communications reach the correct recipients is very important, and receipt marketing can help you do just that.

As we mentioned in our previous Keep the Receipt blog post, according to Pew Research, 19% of Americans don’t own a smartphone. By delivering printed promotions, you avoid inadvertently bypassing a large demographic of potential customers.

Another benefit of providing printed promotions is that your messaging is sure to reach high-quality customers. Unlike other marketing channels where you’re lucky to reach valuable leads, by presenting printed promotions to your customers at the point of purchase, you’re not just nurturing a lead, but boosting customer retention. This is of utmost importance in a world where most items can be found in multiple stores, and shoppers can be tempted to spend their dollars elsewhere.

Download for Free! The Value of Receipts: Physical and Digital.

Experience Higher Return on Investment (ROI)

Marketing can get expensive – really expensive. Direct mail can cost between 30 cents to over $10 per person, while social media ads can cost several dollars per ad click! It’s easy to see how the cost of advertising can get out of hand, even for a small business.

On the other hand, when you leverage receipt marketing with Star printers/paper, it costs only $1.50 … per thousand receipts/promotions! And let’s not forget, those printed promotions are ending up in the hands of shoppers already in your store, who are likely more liable to return to the store than a brand-new prospect from a direct mail campaign.

Onboard Customers to Other Marketing Initiatives

So maybe at this point you’re still not on board with receipt marketing. You want to direct traffic to digital platforms like your social media account, loyalty program, or online review website. Well, receipt marketing can help with that, too.

Take, for example, loyalty programs: they’re great for retaining customers by offering special, personalized rewards. But how do you get your shoppers to sign up for your program in the first place? Sending an email about it will likely end up unopened in their junk/promotions email folder. Posting on social media about it might get you a few likes, but chances are it’ll largely go unnoticed.

By placing a QR code on your receipt promotions, you can have your cashier inform the shopper face-to-face about your loyalty program, and let them know all they need to do is simply scan the code on the receipt to sign up – no extra clicks or navigation necessary. Receipt marketing can act as a great bridge between a brick-and-mortar environment and the added digital benefits consumers want.

Directly Request Feedback from Customers

Customer feedback is worth its weight in gold. But unfortunately, many times consumers aren’t motivated to leave a review unless they are feeling disgruntled. Change that with receipt marketing! By using tools like Star’s Customer Survey, you can provide “instant” customer satisfaction surveys in conjunction with AllReceipts^TM digital receipts.

Similar to what we discussed earlier in this blog post, you can also use your receipt and a simple, easy-to-use QR code to guide customers to an online review website.

How to Get Started with Receipt Marketing

Okay, so everything above sounds great, but how do you get started? It’s very simple if you are using a Star printer!

With PromoPRNT, Star’s value-added receipt marketing tool, you can customize promotions from templates that print directly on the bottom of your receipts. And because the tool is cloud-based, you can create, schedule, and manage promotions from anywhere.

Click here to learn more about PromoPRNT and register today.
October 15, 2019
Star Micronics Introduces Feature-Packed Second Generation of SK1 Kiosk Printers

Featuring StarPRNT emulation, higher reliability, and improved performance

Somerset, NJ – Oct. 10, 2019 – Star Micronics, a leading manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is excited to announce a new generation of its SK1 kiosk printers, the SK1-211 and SK1-311.

The SK1-211 and SK1-311 will ship standard with StarPRNT emulation, which will allow software developers to take advantage of the full stack of Star Micronics technology, such as the StarPRNT SDKs and Star’s powerful line of drivers. Software developers that have already integrated Star products can now easily swap or extend their applications from a desktop printer to a kiosk printer. ESC/POS is still available for legacy integration.

When used with Windows drivers, StarPRNT emulation also enables developers to take advantage of PromoPRNT, Star Micronics’ cloud-based marketing tool which allows for custom-designed promotions to print on the bottom of receipts.

The new generation of kiosk printers will also have a longer paper cutter life (2 million cuts), a faster printing speed (250 millimeters per second), and easy paper loading via a thermal head open function.

New options will be offered for the SK1-211 and SK1-311, including an LED presenter and anti-paper jam bezel, in addition to current options including a bezel, LED bezel, presenter, and larger paper roll holder.

Featuring the same outer dimensions and variety of install positions as the SK1-21 and SK1-31, the new generation of kiosk printers will have USB and serial default interfaces, and a small, compact, and lightweight footprint.

“We’re very eager for this new generation of kiosk printers to streamline point of sale environments,” said Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development at Star Micronics. “Not only are these new products faster and more reliable, the addition of our modern StarPRNT emulation will allow easy integration of kiosk solutions into any environment already featuring Star printers.”

October 10, 2019
Halloween Spending: How Much Do Consumers Spend?
It’s unmistakable: the leaves are turning, spooky décor is popping up in front yards, and you can’t seem to avoid retail displays piled high with bags of candy. That’s right, it’s almost Halloween!

You have probably done some Halloween marketing for your retail store (or your retail customer’s store) in the past, but have you ever wondered just how popular the holiday really is? How much do consumers spend, and on which products? An even better question is, how do you go about promoting your Halloween message and doing your best to ensure you won’t be “ghosted” by shoppers?

Let’s take a look at Halloween spending this year – here are some fascinating Halloween spending statistics from the National Retail Federation (NRF):
- Shoppers say they will spend an average of $86.27 this Halloween
- 35% cite online search as the top source of inspiration
- 29 million people plan to dress their pets in costume
- 68% plan to celebrate Halloween this year
- Top spending categories are as follows:
  - $3.2 billion on costumes
  - $2.6 billion on candy
  - $390 million on greeting cards
- 69% of consumers hand out candy
- 49% decorate their home
- 44% carve a pumpkin
- 32% throw or attend a Halloween party
- 29% take their children trick-or-treating
- 22% visit a haunted house
- 37% planned to start Halloween shopping before October
How to Take Advantage of All That Halloween Spending

Halloween will get a lot spookier if you don’t take advantage of all the holiday has to offer for your retail store (or for your retail customers)!

To help grow sales and customer engagement this Halloween, Star has made it easier than ever to promote ghoulishly good sales and product lines. With PromoPRNT, retailers (or those acting on their behalf) can create custom promotions that print directly on the bottom of the receipt. These promotions can serve as a coupon, funnel shoppers toward an e-commerce site, and more.

Learn more about PromoPRNT

To get you started, the Star team has created the following Halloween templates, which are now available in the PromoPRNT Promotion Builder dashboard:

PromoPRNT
October 8, 2019