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Star Spotlight – NRF 2020 Edition: Springboard Retail
NRFis a wonderful show for multiple reasons – it’s where over 40,000 retail industry professionals gather to share ideas, build partnerships, and experience the year’s latest technology. Speaking of partnerships, one of Star’s favorite reasons for being at Retail’s Big Show is the dedicated time we give to catching up with our many retail software partners.

In today’s blog post, discover what one of Star’s valued software partners, Springboard Retail, is up to this year. Learn more about our partnership in the below video interview filmed at NRF 2020 and stay tuned for even more partnership interviews in our upcoming Star Spotlight NRF 2020 Edition blog posts.

What Does Springboard Retail Do?

“It all began out of necessity. Gordon Russell’s Boston-based chain of specialty retail stores had a problem. He needed a POS system that would be comprehensive enough to manage his current business, while also driving future growth. Gordon tried plenty of available retail point of sale systems, but none of them provided the intuitive yet flexible structure his retail teams needed to succeed.

So, Gordon and co-founder, Jay Stotz, put their heads together. They focused on developing a modern, cloud-based POS system designed to support a growing multi-channel, multi-site retail enterprise with features that brought clarity and resilience for the future. Reporting was key. With a multitude of data points, they ensured that their point of sale was able to combine relevant data in any way the retailer envisions and that the software was responsive, agile and easy-to-use. In fact, the results of their efforts were so successful that the team had to share it with other retailers. Springboard Retail was born.

Since our official launch in November, 2013, Springboard Retail has helped our customers grow across their locations and channels—processing over $2B of retail sales at over 1,000 sites across North America. The team continues to focus on providing exceptional value to our customers. We take our customer’s success personally because we’ve walked in your shoes and understand that even the smallest detail, is critical.”

^Source:^{https://www.springboardretail.com/}

What are Some of Springboard Retail’s Key Products?

Springboard Retail’s software is multi-faceted and chock full of features and benefits for today’s modern retailer:
- Point of Sale: Cloud-based and user-friendly, Springboard Retail’s POS is highly scalable and includes features like quick order lookup, easy customer creation, split payments, simple returns, sales rep tracking, and more.
- Order Management: Springboard Retail’s order management makes it easy to access inventory in real-time and place orders across multiple store locations, online, and in the warehouse. The order management also includes fulfillment alerts and easy order splitting to multiple fulfillment points.
- Inventory Management: Your inventory is key. With features like partial and full inventory counts, transfer management, custom reasons codes for adjustments, and more, Springboard Retail’s inventory management keeps retailers running smoothly.
- Customer Management: CRM and POS don’t have to be separate. Springboard Retail’s included CRM features a QuickView customer dashboard, unlimited custom fields, custom reports for segment marketing, and integrations with top loyalty/marketing providers.
- Purchasing and Receiving: Retail buying is made easy with Springboard Retail’s ability to create barcode labels directly from a PO, easily process returns to vendors, smoothly enter size runs with an item grid feature, and more.
- Metrics and Reporting: Data is imperative! Enjoy real-time data, custom field and reports, user-based permissions, CSV/PDF/URL sharing and exporting, and data comparison with Springboard Retail.
- Traffic and Conversions: Gone are the days of manually tracking retail traffic. With Springboard Retail’s POS, track foot traffic electronically, review real-time traffic data, and more – even if you have multiple stores.
What Sets Springboard Retail Apart?

Springboard Retail focuses specifically on larger-footprint specialty retailers, with two to 200 store locations. Additionally, Springboard Retail is a browser-based system and cross-platform, meaning it has customers that use Mac, PC, and iPad POS, and is able to deliver a consistent, streamlined experience to all of those customers with its POS products.

What Star Products Does Springboard Retail Integrate?

TSP143III

High-speed printing (250mm/s)
Easy setup across all models
Lightning connection for simultaneous charging and data transfer
Compatible with Star Micronics Cloud Services

SM-S230i

2-inch portable printer with compact, lightweight design
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR / USB 2.0 full speed
Barcode/graphics printing supported
Magnetic stripe reader

SM-T300i

3-inch ultra rugged mobile printer
Apple MFi certified
Long battery life
3DES encryption and optional magnetic stripe reader

TSP743II

Black mark label support
Vertically mountable
Double resolution mode to increase graphic sharpness
Bluetooth, CloudPRNT, WebPRNT, Serial, Parallel, USB, LAN

Stay tuned for our upcoming NRF 2020 Star Spotlights, coming soon. In the meantime, learn more about how Star and our partners have teamed up to provide solutions by browsing our Success Stories.

Browse Success Stories
March 10, 2020
4 Essential Features of a Frozen Yogurt POS Solution
It’s flavorful, colorful, and just healthy enough to not feel guilty about indulging in it. That’s right: we’re talking frozen yogurt. Specifically, we’re talking frozen yogurt point of sale (POS) and how to choose a frozen yogurt POS that goes the extra mile for your business.

You’re likely well aware of the popularity of frozen yogurt shops; it’s estimated that 121 million servings of frozen yogurt are served each year in the United States! And while it’s good news that so many people love the tasty dessert, it can also be intimidating to think about the best way to go about differentiating your frozen yogurt shop from the competition.

In addition to choosing a strategic location, creating an attractive aesthetic, offering high-quality flavors and toppings, and effectively marketing your business, did you know that a well-thought-out POS can be a stable foundation to a successful, differentiated frozen yogurt shop? Read on to discover the 4 essential features of a frozen yogurt POS solution.

Feature #1: Scale

Arguably one of the most important features of your frozen yogurt POS is your scale. Why? Simply put, accuracy is money!

To ensure you are charging the correct amount for the frozen yogurt that you sell, selecting an NTEP-certified scale is a must. The NTEP Certificate of Conformance “indicates that the device manufacturer has demonstrated the ability to meet applicable requirements for commercial weighing and measuring equipment in the United States as specified in Handbook 44: Specifications and Tolerances and Other Technical Requirements. NTEP certification is required in most states in the United States.”

Second most important to accuracy is connectivity. What good is a scale if it doesn’t connect to the rest of your POS? Be sure to choose a scale that connects to your software and operating system. It is also helpful if your scale features multiple interface options such as Bluetooth, Serial, and USB. Additionally, it’s wise to choose a scale that directly connects to your POS so that there is no risk of human error in entering numbers incorrectly from the scale to the POS.

Finally, let’s be real: frozen yogurt can easily become messy. Choose a scale that has an available protective shield to defend it from spills.

Star’s mG-Scales

Legal for Trade, NTEP-Certified
Multiple Interfaces (Bluetooth, Serial, USB)
Support for Windows, Android, iOS
Available with Protective Shield

Learn More

Feature #2: Receipt Printer

Your customers want to eat their frozen yogurt before it melts. One way to help them do that is by utilizing a fast, high-quality, and easy-to-use receipt printer. A reliable and high-performance printer means your employees can complete transactions more quickly, and customers can get to enjoying their treats in a jiffy.

On a more technical front, it’s crucial to choose a printer with the connectivity options to meet your needs. Some good connectivity options to look for are Bluetooth, USB, Lightning, and LAN. And by choosing Star’s mC-Print2 or mC-Print3, you’ll get the added benefit of SteadyLAN® technology. This world-first solution provides both power and direct, reliable Ethernet connectivity to iOS, Android, and Windows devices via the printer, and all through one cable. You can say goodbye to downtime and low-signal frustration with SteadyLAN!

Two more aspects of a receipt printer to look for are a splash-proof design and marketing capabilities. By choosing a splash-proof printer, you know your POS hardware is safe from any spilled frozen yogurt mishaps. And some receipt printers, like the mC-Print Series, includes free receipt marketing software so that you can promote upcoming sales, special flavors, and more right on your receipt, where customers are sure to see it.

Feature #3: POS Software

Just like sprinkles make the perfect accompaniment to frozen yogurt, choose a printer that pairs well with your favorite frozen yogurt POS software!

If you’re currently shopping around for frozen yogurt POS software – or considering making a switch – here are some good features to look for:
- Weight-based pricing
- Inventory management and detailed sales reporting (so that you can know which flavors and toppings sell fastest, when to replenish, profit margins, real-time sales, etc.)
- A simple checkout process and easy training (for part-time and seasonal staff)
- A prominent customer display system (CDS) for transparent transactions
- The opportunity for customer information capture for marketing activities
- Offline transaction processing
- Employee timekeeping
- Pay-as-you-go pricing (if you are a seasonal business)
- Secure payments (EMV-ready for chip and pin payments)
- Handheld, mobile POS capabilities for peak business hours
Feature #4: Sleek Design

Frozen yogurt shops are known for their design. You know the look: a well-lit, happy space, with bright colors and the undeniable feeling of childhood-like joy. What’s one thing that can completely kill the mood? Outdated POS hardware.

Alpine Chill Yogurt Shop, Alpine, CA

Magical Yogurt, Lumberton, TX

Choose a POS that is as sleek as the rest of your business. Not only will this create a cohesive feel, but this optimized design will help you create a memorable experience and hopefully stand out in your customers’ minds.

Star’s mUnite Stand

The easiest way to create an attractive POS area is by choosing a clean, sleek tablet POS stand. Look for a stand that features hidden cable management that routes cables through the stand arm (like the Star mUnite). Another key feature that cannot be overlooked is choosing a stand that includes universal VESA mounting, meaning it can support any iOS, Android, and Windows touchscreen device. An added bonus of a stand with VESA mounting capabilities is that it is future-proof and can save you money: if you change your tablet down the road, the same great stand will still work.

We hope that these frozen yogurt POS tips were useful. Need some help choosing your frozen yogurt scale? Download our free Scale Buyer’s Guide now!

Download eBook
March 5, 2020
Star Spotlight – NRF 2020 Edition: Erply
NRF is a wonderful show for multiple reasons – it’s where over 40,000 retail industry professionals gather to share ideas, build partnerships, and experience the year’s latest technology. Speaking of partnerships, one of Star’s favorite reasons for being at Retail’s Big Show is the dedicated time we give to catching up with our many retail software partners.

In today’s blog post, we will explore what one our valued partners, Erply, is up to in 2020, and how they are working with Star. Learn more about our partnership in the below video interview filmed at NRF 2020 and stay tuned for even more partnership interviews in our upcoming Star Spotlight NRF 2020 Edition blog posts.

What Does Erply Do?
Erply started as an award-winning Seedcamp entry in 2009 –hence its name, ERPly!– and was officially founded in 2010. Since its establishment, Erply was designed to create B2B customizations for small to medium-sized businesses, resulting in a highly in-depth inventory management platform.

Today Erply has grown into a successful company that processes billions of annual transactions and supports over 100,000 stores across the globe in over 15 different languages.

Erply’s cloud-based, full-featured point of sale solution has helped us become a recognized leader in the retail POS space. Erply POS serves retailers large and small, and is well-known for its:
- Comprehensive POS features
- World-class API
- Highly secure servers
- Personable customer support
- Mobile applications
Flexibility has always been a key feature of Erply, and its expertise in creating highly customized solutions comes from its team of veteran developers who have years of experience building specialized business solutions.
^Source:^{https://erply.com}

What are Some of Erply’s Key Products?

Designed for enterprise retail, retail franchise, and more, Erply’s products can be grouped into several categories:
- Point of sale: Erply’s cloud-based POS is powerful, easy-to-use, and works online and offline. Features include employee timeclock, layaway sales, cash in or out, in-store pickup orders, recent sale lookup, stock and price lookup, returns and refunds, and more.
- Inventory management: For large and small businesses alike, Erply’s inventory management solutions include product information management (PMI), inventory transfers, stocktaking, matrix products, supplier management, stock replenishment reports, and more.
- CRM: The power is in the customer data. Erply’s retail CRM has what it takes for retailers to develop long-term customer relationships, and includes customer information, a loyalty program, and customer grouping.
- Multi-store management: Perfect for chains, Erply’s multi-store management solutions help retailers set up store locations, manage pricing, create promotions, manage employees, track store activity, and more.
- Sales management: The key to retail success lies in well-managed sales data. Erply’s back office technology allows retailers to easily create sales quotes and orders, manage order fulfillment, and handle invoicing and payments workflows.
- Reporting: Erply provides its customers with fully customizable reports, for sales, inventory, and more.
- API: Erply’s API is simple to use, and allows businesses to easily integrate with other applications, creating a true omnichannel retail experience.
What’s New with Erply in 2020?

One of the biggest differentiators for Erply in 2020 is its ability to integrate with customers’ existing tech stacks, whether it’s a CRM, ERP, or an e-commerce platform. This integration ability ensures Erply can provide a true all-in-one system, making retail operations much easier and more efficient.

What Star Products Does Erply Integrate?

Erply currently integrates the Star Micronics TSP143III, mPOP™, SM-S230i, and mC-Print2.

TSP143III

High-speed printing (250mm/s)
Easy setup across all models
Lightning connection for simultaneous charging and data transfer
Compatible with Star Micronics Cloud Services

mPOP

Compact and sleek design
Printer – cash drawer – scanner – device stand
Compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows
Two cash drawer options: vertical bill (4 bill and 6 or 8 adjustable coin slots) and flat bill (4 bill and 4 or 6 adjustable coin slots)

SM-S230i

2-inch portable printer with compact, lightweight design
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR / USB 2.0 full speed
Barcode/graphics printing supported
Magnetic stripe reader

mC-Print2

2-inch thermal printer
Sleek, compact, connected
Bluetooth, USB, Lightning, LAN, CloudPRNT
SteadyLAN® technology (mCP21LB)

Stay tuned for our upcoming NRF 2020 Star Spotlights, coming soon. In the meantime, learn more about how Star and our partners have teamed up to provide solutions by browsing our Success Stories.

Browse Success Stories
March 3, 2020
3 Ways to Set Up a Successful Kiosk Implementation in 2020
So, you’re looking to take advantage of self-service kiosk technology. You know that self-service solutions can boost profits, increase order accuracy, and improve the customer experience. But how do you ensure a successful kiosk implementation?First and foremost, it’s important to remember that understanding the environment in which the self-service kiosk will operate is crucial to its success. If the kiosk will remain unattended for the most part of its operational cycle and if attending it for any reason (being it technical or merely operational) is costly due to distances or any other logistic aspect, then focusing on the kiosk’s autonomy is key.

Explore Star’s self-service kiosk solutions.

Your best chance for an autonomous kiosk boils down to three important factors:
- A powerful and effective set of components,
- A strategic location, and
- A high-quality supplier.
Read on to learn more about each factor.

Kiosk Implementation Rule #1: A Kiosk is as Powerful and Effective as the Sum of its Components

For any kiosk integrator, selecting the proper components when putting together a kiosk solution is one of the most important aspects of their kiosk design. Three things to look for when selecting kiosk components are ruggedness, a large paper roll holder, and user-proof features.
- Ruggedness: A good rule of thumb is to make sure the kiosk printer that you select is durable and includes components that are long-lasting. In terms of a kiosk printer, that includes consumables such as the print head, automatic cutter, and more.
- Large Paper Roll Holder: One easy way to instantly cut down on maintenance time (and associated fees) is by selecting a large paper roll holder for your kiosk. Considering a larger paper roll diameter (length) allows the kiosk to operate for a longer period of time without attention since it can accommodate many more printed receipts without any additional paper roll changes.
- User–Proof Features: Designing a kiosk to be user-proof is very important. What exactly does user-proof mean? It means creating a self-service solution which process is inherently straightforward and easy-to-adopt for end-users. One way to do that is by considering the use of an optional presenter to allow all the printing and cutting to happen inside the kiosk unit prior to making it available to the user. With a presenter, there’s no question about whether or not the receipt is ready.
Choosing the right technology in your self-service solution allows your kiosk to be remotely monitored, so that operators can more effectively and efficiently plan maintenance visits regarding paper replenishing, technical service, replacement of consumable components, etc. At the end of the day, this efficiency means less downtime, more profit, and happier customers!

Kiosk Implementation Rule #2: Location, Location, Location

You know what they say: location is key! That same rule applies to self-service kiosks.

Selecting the right place for your self-service kiosk solution not only can increase sales, but may also affect its reliability, durability, and customers’ perceptions of quality of service provided.

A couple of tips for choosing a location include:
- Consider an easy-to-access, well-illuminated, and high-traffic area to give your kiosk the greatest chance for success in terms of adoption and sales.
- Make sure that when you select the kiosk’s location, you are considering how the location will benefit or affect both the end-user and the kiosk’s success. For example, if your kiosk is serving as a parking self-service payment station, it should be placed in a natural path towards the parking garage to allow end-users to access it without having to go to a different area or being unsure of where to pay.
Kiosk Implementation Rule #3: Your Supplier Matters

Last but not least, your supplier matters … a lot. In order to choose a supplier that will be able to assist you in the long run no matter what your use case, be sure to go with one that acts as a trusted adviser, offers a wide range of kiosk printers, and provides top-notch support.
- A Trusted Adviser: Choosing a supplier that doesn’t just sell, but consults, is just as important as selecting your kiosk’s components and location. To do this, look for a manufacturer with a healthy amount of industry experience who can act as a trusted adviser. Working with companies specialized in the vertical being attended, in this case the self-service kiosk vertical, is critical. Absorbing decades of experience and having access to the most innovative technologies and options will benefit your final solution, and in some cases will open the door to create solutions previously inconceivable.
- A Wide Range of Kiosk Printers: Kiosks are not “one size fits all.” Choose a supplier that offers a range of kiosk printers, including open-frame and closed-frame, with a variety of possible positions, connectivity options, and accessories.
- Superb Support: Your self-service journey doesn’t end when the kiosk implementation is complete. Your long-term success depends on choosing a supplier that offers a robust level of support, such as easy-to-find drivers, manuals, warranty information, and FAQs/troubleshooting, as well as on-site technical support staff.
We hope that these kiosk implementation tips were helpful, and will guide you as you select kiosk components, locations and use cases, and suppliers.

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

Get to Know Star’s Kiosk Printers

Explore all printers.

Looking for more kiosk help? Download our free Guide to Selecting the Right Kiosk Printer.

Download Brochure
February 27, 2020
Star Software Update: mC-Print Firmware Update (v2.4)
Welcome to the Star Software Update, the regular series of blog updates where Star’s Integration Team informs you about the latest important Star Micronics software updates.

In this edition:
- A New mC-Print Series Firmware Update. mC-Print2 v2.4 and mC-Print3 v2.4, respectively
Read on to learn what this month’s update entails.

Release Date:

This firmware update was released on January 31, 2020.

What is Included in the Update?

Simply put, this new firmware update allows you to more reliably share a printer between an online ordering service using CloudPRNT and a POS using Star’s SDK/driver.

In today’s restaurant and retail environments it is becoming less and less common to have all services through one provider and much more common to have many different vendors providing different services such as point of sale, online ordering, etc. This firmware update makes sharing a printer between different services using different Star print technologies more reliable, resulting in fewer errors and missed print jobs.

Next Steps

You can update your firmware in the mC-Print Utility, under the “Firmware Update” function.

Contact Star Integration Now
February 25, 2020
The Best New Star Technology in 2020
It’s 2020 and it should come as no surprise that point of sale (POS) technology is advancing rapidly. But which POS trends are predicted to be hot this year?
- Cloud POS: According to Finances Online, the cloud POS market penetration rate is expected to hit 44% this year, up from 35% in 2018 and 39% in 2019.
- Self-Service: In 2019, the self-service market was valued at $28 billion USD, and by 2025 it’s expected to reach $68 billion USD. Needless to say, self-service kiosks will be popping up left and right this year.
- Mobile Payments: It’s estimated that by the end of 2020, nearly 1 in every 2 dollars spent online will come from purchase made using mobile devices. That’s a lot of mobile payments!
Download Free eBook: MPOS: How it’s Revolutionizing Payments

So, what’s Star doing to keep up with these emerging trends? Read on to discover the best new Star technology this year.

SteadyLAN®

The foundation of each of the above POS trends is a stable connection. For cloud POS to reliably operate, a strong network connection must be present. A self-service kiosk that’s out of order is a nuisance to customers and a waste of money to business owners. Mobile payments don’t exist without a solid connection.

To greatly strengthen network connection in iPad POS, Star is proud to introduce SteadyLAN®. This unique, patent-pending new Star technology makes unstable Wi-Fi signals a thing of the past. Available on certain mC-Print models and designed for iOS, Android, and Windows devices provides direct cabled control of the printer and attached peripherals, as well as Ethernet provision to the tablet, from the wired Ethernet port of the printer.

For locations where Wi-Fi connectivity is not possible or unreliable, this new technology is a world-first, providing the stability of a cabled LAN connection for tablet POS systems. By connecting the SteadyLAN-compatible printer to the Internet via wired LAN and connecting the printer and a tablet with a Lightning-USB or USB-C® cable, the device can use the Internet without Wi-Fi communication. At the same time, the tablet can communicate with the printer via USB or LAN and can be charged from the printer.

Click here to learn more about SteadyLAN

A Full Kiosk Lineup

Kiosk printers aren’t a new edition to Star in 2020 – we have been offering a robust lineup of self-service printing options for quite some time – but what is new and hot this year are our second generation of compact SK1 kiosk printers.

The new kiosk printers, the SK1-211 and the SK1-311, 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.

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.

These new kiosk printers are exciting for a few reasons: Not only are these new products faster and more reliable, the addition of the modern StarPRNT emulation will allow easy integration of kiosk solutions into any environment already featuring Star printers.

Star offers even more kiosk printers than the SK1 series. Click here to browse all available kiosk printers, including open-frame printers, housed printers, wide-format printers, and more.

mPOP™ Flat Bill

You may already recognize our sleek, all-in-one mobile point of purchase, the mPOP. But did you know that this year we have released a new and improved mPOP for SMB retail, the mPOP Flat Bill?

The new mPOP with Flat Bill cash management stacks the till, providing a total of 4 slots for bills, and 4 or 6 adjustable spaces for coins.The individual tills offer 2Bill-2Coin slots, with the top till easily sliding back to expose the bottom till section.

Just like the original mPOP, the mPOP Flat Bill also features:
- Bluetooth and USB connectivity
- Compatibility with any iOS, Android, or Windows device
- Easy “drop-in and print” paper loading and cable management
- Compatibility with Star peripherals ( 1D barcode scanner, 2D imager, digital customer-facing display)
- Optional mUnite POP solution stand
Click here to learn more about mPOP

mUnite

A new decade calls for business owners of all kinds to make the switch to a sleek, modern POS, and our mUnite stands make that easier than ever.

Designed to accompany the mC-Print3, mPOP, and TSP143/TSP654II, the mUnite tablet POS stands are the perfect solution for businesses on the hunt for a clean POS which frees up valuable counterspace.

With clean cable management and a sleek, unified design, mUnite stands bundles all devices together into one visually cohesive solution, and are:
- Built of durable steel
- Compatible with any tablet manufacturer (universal VESA mounting)
- Easy to set up
- Available in black or white to match existing POS systems
- And more!
Click here to learn more about mUnite

The new Star technology featured in this blog post is just a portion of Star’s many offerings. To learn more about our full product lineup and see how our various technologies can be bundled into one cohesive, streamlined solution, explore our Product Catalog.

Product Catalogue
February 20, 2020
Star Micronics Introduces the New and Improved mPOP for SMB Retail

The new mPOP by Star Micronics offers improved functionality with easier cash management for retailers

Somerset, NJ – February 18, 2020 – Star Micronics, a leading global manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is proud to introduce the upgraded mPOP™ (mobile point of purchase). The Star Micronics mPOP offers a hybrid solution for tablet POS that combines a cash drawer and printer peripheral, offering an ideal hardware solution for small- to medium-sized retail businesses. Star’s most recent update to the mPOP makes it even easier for merchants to manage their cash payments with a small cash drawer footprint.

The new mPOP with Flat Bill cash management stacks the till, providing a total of 4 slots for bills, and 4 or 6 adjustable spaces for coins. The individual tills will offer 2Bill-2Coin slots, with the top till easily sliding back to expose the bottom till section. This allows for US retailers to store and manage their cash in a more natural way and keep their cash payment organized, compared to the previous vertical-slot version of the mPOP.

The mPOP also offers convenient Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and is compatible with any iOS, Android, or Windows device. With easy “drop-in and print” paper loading, and cable management, the mPOP offers an easy-to-use solution for any SMB retailer. The mPOP is also compatible with a number of Star peripherals including a 1D barcode scanner, 2D imager, and digital customer-facing display. Star Micronics also provides the mUnite POP solution stand for a sleek POS enclosure option.

“Star Micronics is proud to have answered the request of many of our partners to introduce a Flat Bill solution for the mPOP,” said Michael Hanson, Executive Vice President of Star Micronics. “The new and improved Flat Bill solution keeps the small footprint of the mPOP that SMB retailers enjoyed, while integrating a more simple and familiar way to manage cash payments.”

To learn more about the new Flat Bill mPOP, please visit https://starmicronics.com/mPOP.

February 18, 2020
Star Spotlight – NRF 2020 Edition: Appetize
NRF is a wonderful show for multiple reasons – it’s where over 40,000 retail industry professionals gather to share ideas, build partnerships, and experience the year’s latest technology. Speaking of partnerships, one of Star’s favorite reasons for being at Retail’s Big Show is the dedicated time we give to catching up with our many retail software partners.

In today’s blog post, we will explore what one our valued partners, Appetize, is up to in 2020, and how they are working with Star. Learn more about our partnership in the below video interview filmed at NRF 2020 and stay tuned for even more partnership interviews in our upcoming Star Spotlight NRF 2020 Edition blog posts.

What Does Appetize Do?

Since being founded in 2011, Appetize has quickly become the leading enterprise cloud point of sale (POS) and management platform trusted by the world’s highest volume businesses.

Our mission is to enhance the guest ordering experience while making operations more efficient and productive. We provide all the benefits and flexibility of the cloud including easy deployment, scale-up, reconfiguration and upgrade capabilities, with our enterprise capabilities such as centralized management and real-time reporting.

As the technology hub for commerce, we’ve connected our ordering technologies which include POS terminals, handheld devices, self-service kiosks, mobile and online ordering, with best-in-class application and technology integrations. We’ve simplified the transaction process in order to drive financial performance, improve guest experience, and future-proof operations.

Today, Appetize powers many well-known Fortune 500 companies and enterprises to process billions of dollars annually across multi-unit restaurants, sports and entertainment properties, education campuses, convention centers, theme parks, travel and leisure sites, and more. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California with offices across the United States, our team of experts help Appetize users modernize and scale their business.

^Source:^{https://appetize.com/}

What are Some of Appetize’s Key Products?

Appetize’s portfolio of offerings is broken down into three categories: Software, Hardware, and Solutions.
- Software: Appetize’s software solutions “transform the way your staff and guests interact with robust front and back of house software products that solve operational and ordering challenges.” These offerings include: point of sale, self-service kiosks, mobile and online ordering, and back of house management.
- Hardware: Designed to increase revenue and customer satisfaction, Appetize’s hardware products (including Star) are reliable and industry-leading, and include self-service kiosks, terminals, handheld devices, and more.
- Solutions: Appetize specializes in offering solutions to quick-service restaurants, traditional restaurants, and retail. These cloud-based solutions help businesses streamline operations and increase profits.
What’s New with Appetize in 2020?

Appetize has been the leader in the enterprise stadium and arena technology market for years. This looks like the technology supporting the ability to feed 20,000 fans a meal within a 20-minute span of time. Now, in 2020, Appetize is taking that experience and extending its enterprise solutions to the multi-unit retail and QSR marketplace.

“We’ve really grown our footprint to have great partners like Star to help enable us and provide us a rock of steady, reliable technology that still innovates and drives forward with the new footprint and the new sleek look and feel, but still the same core reliability. It’s great to be aligned, we love our partnership with Star.” – Brian Whitney, Vice President, Sales, Appetize

Which Star Products Does Appetize Integrate?

Appetize currently integrates the Star Micronics TSP654II, TSP654IISK, TSP143III, SM-S230i, and TUP500.

TSP654II

High reliability and performance
High-speed printing (300mm/s)
Swappable interfaces: serial, parallel, USB, LAN
Bluetooth and AirPrint connectivity available

TSP654IISK

Repositionable, linter-free thermal label solution
Improves order accuracy up to 99%
Liner-free yields 60% more labels per roll than diecut
80mm and 58mm paper support

TSP143III

High-speed printing (250mm/s)
Easy setup across all models
Lightning connection for simultaneous charging and data transfer
Compatible with Star Micronics Cloud Services

SM-S230i

2-inch portable printer with compact, lightweight design
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR / USB 2.0 full speed
Barcode/graphics printing supported
Magnetic stripe reader

TUP500

Kiosk printer with modular design for easy integration
220mm/s print speed
Adjustable print width (42mm – 82.5mm)
Optional bezel, presenter, large paper roll holder, and more

Stay tuned for our upcoming NRF 2020 Star Spotlights, coming soon. In the meantime, learn more about how Star and our partners have teamed up to provide solutions by browsing our Success Stories.

Browse Success Stories
February 18, 2020
The Evolution of Printer Software Technology to Cater to mPOS

Point of sale (POS) is no longer limited to the traditional, fixed model. Merchants have tried and proven the benefits of mobility. They can complete payment transactions in-aisle or tableside, and set up additional checkouts for line busting. In addition, they can enhance the customer experience at their establishments by providing sales associates and wait staff with information on products and menu items, promotions and sales, and even the customer’s purchase history or loyalty program activity.

While POS has gone mobile, so have label and receipt printers, as well as the point of sale systems they operate with. Mobile printers or mobile point of sale systems can help reduce labor time and costs of in-aisle and shelf labeling. Mobile point of sale also provides mobile receipt printing both in-store and beyond, at pop-up shops, and other outdoor sales and dining venues.

Today’s mPOS solutions can be both lightweight and easy-to-use, are capable of printing receipts and labels with a variety of media, and can even assist businesses with their marketing strategy. Mobile POS peripherals can connect with mobile devices such as tablets or mobile phones using cabled, Bluetooth, or wireless network connection. They can also receive print jobs directly from the merchant’s network, or third-party online ordering and scheduling applications.

From a printer software perspective, however, mPOS has created new challenges. With merchants using a variety of devices for POS functions, printing is no longer as simple as plugging in a printer that’s designed to work with the POS terminal to print receipts and other materials such as labels, tags, forms, or coupons.

As your mobility initiative grows, you may encounter challenges to printing what you need, when and where you need it. Here are three common challenges merchants face with mobile printing and the solutions that will help you overcome them.

Download the Full eBook: “How Printer Software Technology is Evolving to Accommodate mPOS”

Challenge 1: Printing from an iOS, Android, or Windows Native App

With most legacy applications, many POS printers and printer brands could be used by just installing the right Windows driver. Since iOS and Android operating systems do not have a print engine to support drivers, the printer functions need to be integrated inside the POS software, thus limiting the choice. Fortunately, these companies have usually integrated the best of breed printers which make for an easy choice.

Solution: SDK Integration

A software development kit (SDK) helps software engineers or developers to speed up the process to support special features (like printing) in software applications. The printing SDKs needed to create applications are usually available for developers to download from the printer hardware manufacturer. For example, iOS applications traditionally use Objective-C or the Swift programming language, while Android uses Java.

An advantage to SDK integration is that the application your software engineer or developer creates can give you more complete control of printing, such as adjusting print formatting, controlling the cash drawer, or checking the status of the printer. It also enables additional, innovative features to be added to the print application such as digital receipts and other cloud services.

Another huge advantage is that an SDK provides a foundation for developers to build on. Without it, each developer would have to build the basics themselves, which can be especially complicated when working with multiple printers.

The modern SDKs provided by printer manufacturers are designed to be powerful while also being simple to integrate – adding printing capabilities may only require a few lines of code.

Solution: AirPrint®

Star Micronics’ AirPrint technology allows retailers to continue to use the simple print method that they are used to. Apple has certified Star Micronics’ TSP654II AirPrint as the first and only AirPrint receipt printer, and has also certified the Star Micronics TSP847II AirPrint, which can print labels, tickets, forms, barcodes, and graphics. Modern and flexible, this new technology is beneficial to integrators as well.

For ISVs, using Star Micronics’ AirPrint technology is the easiest and fastest way to integrate a printer with Apple software. The TSP654II AirPrint and TSP847II AirPrint work immediately after setup and are the perfect fit for the occasional print job. With Star Micronics’ Apple-certified printers, Mac and iOS developers now have another option in addition to the StarPRNT SDK, giving them more flexible printer control.

Learn More About Star Micronics StarPRNT SDK

Challenge 2: Managing Online Ordering and Scheduling

Online ordering and scheduling have made a huge splash in the global marketplace. In particular, the hospitality, salon/spa, medical, and service industries have been highly effected. Customers choose to order food and schedule appointments online primarily for convenience. Online ordering and scheduling help to simplify the process, ensure accuracy, keep costs transparent, reduce human error, and more.

This new wave of Cloud-based orders and requests presents a new set of challenges to those in effected industries – and all of those challenges revolve around having a reliable, functional mPOS and chit printer. Businesses need a printer that can promptly receive and alert staff to online orders and requests, and that is compatible with today’s modern, ever-changing online applications.

Solution: CloudPRNT

Star’s CloudPRNT technology is the answer to online ordering and scheduling pain points. A remote printing technology specially designed for Web-based POS printing, CloudPRNT is scalable, quick to integrate, easy to deploy, and even allows Cloud-connected control of peripherals.

Platform-independent, CloudPRNT is compatible with the industry’s top online ordering and scheduling applications. CloudPRNT, which automatically detects and pulls Web-based orders and requests, requires no SSL certificate, has no exposed network ports or special firewall settings, and is compatible with any programming language or operating system.

Challenge 3: Printing from a Web Browser Application

Advanced Web standards, such as HTML5, give developers the ability to build Web-based applications with nearly the same level of features as native (local) applications. Web applications have the added advantage of allowing live, automatic updating so that customers always have the most up-to-date version of the software since the application lives in the cloud.

If the POS software is Web-based, the issue isn’t which mobile device the application is running on. Most Web-based solutions are device agnostic: if the device can connect to the Internet, it can usually use the application. In this case, it’s necessary for the printer to receive data directly from the Web-based application.

Solution: WebPRNT

Star’s JavaScript-based WebPRNT technology allows complete control of any Star WebPRNT Ethernet interface printer. Developers can use Star’s JavaScript library and Builder API to integrate a Web-based application with a WebPRNT printer. In addition, this functionality can be extended to Bluetooth printers by using the WebPRNT Browser with little to no changes.

Learn More About WebPRNT

Want to learn about the last 3 challenges? Discover how to successfully market to target audiences, continue to use legacy applications with newer hardware, and more in our free eBook.

Download eBook

February 13, 2020
Star Micronics and eatOS Partner to an All-In-One Restaurant Management Suite

eatOS and Star Micronics work to bring self-service, online ordering, and more to restaurants of all sizes

Somerset, NJ – February 6, 2020 – Star Micronics, a leading manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is proud to announce that eatOS has added support for Star’s restaurant printing solutions. eatOS brings a seamless experience to restaurants by offering a platform that manages point of sale, kitchen displays, self-service kiosks, pay-at-table, loyalty, and online ordering all in one application. eatOS supports the Star Micronics SP742 for back-of-house kitchen printing, and the TSP654II for point of sale receipts and self-service orders.

The demand for self-services in restaurants is increasing rapidly. eatOS helps restaurants of any size add self-service kiosks to their workflow to reduce wait times, increase the average check size, and reduce operational costs. eatOS’s self-service kiosk is intuitive, easy-to-use, and integrates into the Point of Sale and Kitchen Display Screen seamlessly.

Built to withstand heat and humidity, Star’s SP742 provides the ideal robust printing solution for back-of-house kitchen orders. eatOS has selected the Star TSP654II to be paired with Elo’s i-Series and Wallaby stand for their self-service kiosk solution. The TSP654II offers high print speeds and is simple to use. The self-service kiosk allows restaurant customers to skip waiting in long lines, and place their order using a touchscreen device, and pick up their order with the printed receipt.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Star Micronics,” says Nicholas Brunner, COO and Co-Founder of eatOS. “Star has always been a leader in the POS space and with their highly innovative printers and Cloud technology, eatOS is continuing to bring next-generation solutions to the restaurant market.”

February 6, 2020