Tag: Mobile POS (mPOS)

Star Spotlight with Shift4

What does Shift4 do?

Shift4, the first card-present payment gateway and the largest independent payment gateway in North America, is now launching their mobile point of sale system. Shift4 decided to take a different appraoch in building their mPOS solution and wanted to put a focus on the enterprise market. Shift4 offers specific solutions to hospitality, retail, food and beverage, eCommerce, and most other industries which are scalable from a single store to an international enterprise with franchise and company-owned locations.

How is Shift4 working with Star Micronics?

Shift4 is a software-as-a-service provider that was seeking the perfect hardware to compliment their solution. They decided to go with Star Micronics base on their reliable and advanced printer models. Shift4 has integrated throughout Star’s entire line of point of sale peripherals including desktop thermal and impact printers, portable printers, and the all-in-one mPOP™ peripheral. Shift4 currently supports Star Micronics’ SM-S220i, SM-S230i, and SM-T300i portable printers, the TSP650II BTi and WebPRNT thermal printer, the SP700 impact kitchen printer, and the mPOP™.

What key benefits does the mPOP™ bring to Shift4 customers?

Shift4 values customer communication and keeps in close contact to make sure that all of their customers are satisfied with their solution. The mPOP offers a compact solution that can work with any mobile device. Having the printer and cash drawer combined into one peripheral is a huge benefit in the mPOS space, and it is simple to operate.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-0tK2zvRSE]

“In mobile point of sale, it’s important to have a solution that is versatile and doesn’t take up a lot of space. The mPOP combines the cash drawer and receipt printer into one compact form factor that it perfect for mPOS needs.” – Jeremy Fried, System Architect at Shift4.

April 5, 2017
Growing Restaurant Revenue with Mobile POS

Mobility is dominating the point of sale world. From table-side service, to tablet point of sale, mobility is making is easier for restaurant owners and operators to perform quick and painless transactions and give their customers the ideal dining-out experience. While some of the smaller, “mom and pop” restaurants may be hesitant to invest in a mobile point of sale (mPOS) system, they could be missing out on a huge boost in revenue by not upgrading. In addition to revenue increase, the adoption of an mPOS system could also mean an increase in tips for servers, making it easier to maintain low turnover rates.

A report by Software Advice shows that mPOS can predominantly impact your servers’ commitment to upselling – therefore, increasing daily restaurant revenue. Upselling is a sales technique that restaurant server often use to induce the customer to purchase more expensive items, upgrades, or add-ons when placing their order. This technique is commonly used by restaurant server because their calculated tip becomes higher with every dollar spent by the customer.

How does mPOS impact upselling?

In restaurant settings where the mPOS system is used for table-side service, the server may have a tablet in-hand entering the order as it is being placed. This can help remind the server to ask the customer if they would like to add a side of fries to their order or upgrade their drink to a larger size for only a dollar more. This is especially helpful for daily promotions or one-day offers that are not a part of the server’s regular order-taking routine.

In the chart above provided by Software Advice, you can see that restaurants are not upselling as much as they could be. However, we can see that the majority of customers surveyed are more likely to make an order modification that was suggest by their server when dining out.

The Mobile POS Checklist

In case revenue increase isn’t reason enough to adopt a mobile point of sale system, we’ve outlined some additional benefits that mPOS can bring to restaurant businesses. According to an additional report done by Software Advice, 72% of restaurant owners request mobile restaurant POS software.

First and foremost, you need an mPOS system that is simple enough for any server to fluently use. If you’re looking for a mobile solution that will allow for a table-side service, you must ensure that your mPOS software is quick and easy-to-use. If your servers are disrupting the order process by taking the time to search for items in the POS, it defeats the purpose of the table-side mPOS solution.

Secondly, you will need a receipt printer that works seamlessly with your mPOS solution and will allow for a total transaction to be completed right at the table. It has been bound that engaging customers by having them complete the payment process right on the tablet can actually lead to an increase in tips. When this transaction is complete, servers equipped with portable, handheld receipt printers can kindly print and hand the customer their receipt without ever disrupting the transaction process.

In addition to the ease of use and fluid transaction process, mPOS systems often offer features such as inventory management, loyalty, and customer data capture, that help you run your restaurant more efficiently.

If you’re looking for an mPOS solution to take your restaurant business to the next level, be sure to check out Star’s line of portable receipt printers for your mobile point of sale needs.

February 27, 2017
3 Critical Payment Trends to Watch This Year
The past few years have brought rapid evolution and change to the payments industry, with the same growth expected in 2017. Retailers must remain aware of these developments to properly compete with other operations in their vertical market. Here is a close look at three critical payment trends that will prevail this year.

Mobile Wallet Growth

Statistics make a strong case for including increased momentum for mobile wallets on the list of significant payment trends to watch in 2017. This is especially true of mobile wallets that incorporate near field communication (NFC) technology.
- According to a report by research firm Research and Markets, the global mobile wallet market will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.5% between 2017 and 2021.
- Technavio, another research firm, has predicted a similar CAGR (more than 35%) for mobile wallets through 2021.
- A Capital One Wallet Survey conducted by Capital One late last year shows that nearly one-quarter (24%) of U.S. consumers use mobile wallets in some capacity.
- More proof that the use of mobile wallet technology among consumers is trending up: Of 24% of Capital One survey respondents who claimed to utilize mobile wallet technology, more than 63% have been doing so for less than a year. This demonstrates rapid adoption and use of the technology in 2016, according to Capital One, with a similar pattern expected throughout 2017.
Ongoing technological advanced in NFC devices and heightened security of payment portals rank among catalysts for the consistent growth of mobile payments and its high rank among key payment trends, according to Research and Markets and Technavio. Mobile wallet options such as integration with coupons and tickets are fueling the fire as well.

Payment Security Push

With perpetrators’ attempts as and methods for transaction fraud growing more sophisticated, increased and varied attempts to shore up payment security is one of the hottest payment trends. There is now a major move among U.S. merchants to migrate to point of sale (POS) equipment that accommodates microprocessor chip-enabled credit and debit cars (“chip cards”) under the umbrella of the Europay/Mastercard/Visa (EMV) liability shift that took effect in October of 2015.
- The Payments Security Task Force, a consortium of payment networks, backs, credit unions, acquirers, retailers, POS device manufacturers, and industry trade groups, estimates that the shift to EMV will “reach 98%” by the end of this year.
- According to Mastercard, 9 in 10 Americans now user chips cards, a 38 point year-over-year increase from 49% in 2015 to 87% in 2016. Payment trends cited in a recent Mastercard report includes additional increased in chip card usage in 2017.
More mPOS

Mobile point of sale (mPOS) and tablet POS devices are becoming a staple as merchants adopt mobile technology to assist with line-busting and speeding up transactions during peak traffic periods. What’s more, with innovations like Star Micronics’ new mPOP™ accessories, tablet POS devices can be used as a cost effective, fully functioning point of sale system. This versatility makes mPOS a hot ticket item in 2017.
- According to a study conducted by Boston Retail Partners, almost half (49%) of retailers are using mobile solutions for sales staff. That’s up from less than a third (31%) from last year.
Payment trends other than those discussed here may also take hold in 2017. However, the rise of mobile wallets and mPOS, coupled with a greater emphasis on payment security, merit special attention in the coming months.

Learn more about the mPOP™, Mobile Point of Purchase, here.
February 15, 2017
Star Spotlight with iVend Retail

What does iVend Retail do?

CitiXSys develops technology and omnichannel retail solutions with the iVend Retail suite. The solution consists of about seven modules that has the terminal POS, mobile POS, e-commerice, loyalty, and more, all in one solution that works right out of the box. iVend Retail is designed to address the challenges faced by omnichannel retailers today.

How is iVend Retail working with Star Micronics?

iVend Retail certified Star Micronics’ mPOP™, combination cash drawer and receipt printer peripheral, in order to provide their retailers with a compact, sleek, and attractive contemporary offering. Star’s mPOP has been integrated with iVend Retail’s terminal POS and mPOS solution to deliver their customers an all-in-one, out of the box offering with a hardware component. The mPOP and iVend Retail solution has been hugely popular within the footwear and apparel retail industry due to the mPOP’s sleek look, and it’s ability to compliment the retailer’s image and brand.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ_En9FH4Wg]

What key benefits and features is the mPOP bringing to iVend Retail customers?

CitiXSys has recent released iVend 6.5 with the new POS designer. This solution allows the retailer to take advantage of the slick, mPOP device and tailer the point of sale screen to match. The mPOP and iVend solution also offers a highly functional and reliable solution for the retailer that requires no technical knowledge to operate.

“The main attraction of the mPOP to our customers is that it gives a sleek, compact look in the store,” says Paula DiSilva, VP of Sales for Asia Pacific for CitiXSys. “They’re looking for a larger footprint in brick and mortar stores and need something that will blend in nicely with their brand.”

January 25, 2017
5 Reasons Retailers Want Ergonomic mPOS Solutions in 2017

Mobile point of sale (mPOS) solutions have ranked on retailers’ list of “nice to have” technologies since their introduction several years ago. However, for most merchants, mPOS solutions are “must-haves” for 2017. Here’s why.

1. Convenience. Customers are no longer willing to stand in long lines to complete sales transactions. They want options that allow them to pay for their items quickly, and that allow them to pay from locations other than the stationary checkout lane. With mPOS solutions, retailers can accept payments in store aisles, at temporary checkout stations on the sales floor and, in the case of sidewalk sales, in front of the store itself. Additionally, retailers that sell merchandise in other environments, such as craft shows or farmer’s markets, can securely process credit card payments when mPOS solutions are in their technology toolbox.

2. Access to Information. Increasingly, consumers are using their smartphone while shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. According to a recent survey by mobile loyalty firm SessionM, 90 percent of respondents said they research products on their smartphones; 54 percent search for price comparisons; 48 percent search for product information; and 42 percent check reviews online. Equipping sales associates with mPOS devices allows store employees to access the same product information as shoppers, and it allows them to engage shoppers at the point of decision.

3. Endless aisle capability. Today’s consumers want what they want, when they want it – and if it’s not available at your store, shoppers will turn to your competitors to get it. mPOS solutions can prevent this from happening by providing endless aisle capability. Endless aisle capability allows customers to access an establishment’s e-commerce store, find the item that is out of stock in the current brick-and-mortar location and order immediately. Customers can shop endless aisles and arrange for the item to be delivered or picked up at the store, thanks to mPOS.

4. Space saving. Traditional POS technology occupies a lot of room on retail counters; the bulkier the equipment, the more difficult it is for store employees to operate in tight spaces. Bulky tech equipment is also less aesthetically pleasing. By contrast, ergonomic mPOS solutions have a small footprint and a sleek appearance, as well as require only minimal counter space. This paves the way for a more attractive store, with more room on the counters to display merchandise.

5. Support for a top-notch customer experience. Retail in 2017 is all about providing customers with the first-class customer experience they have come to expect and demand. mPOS solutions contribute heavily to that experience by allowing retailers to offer efficient customer service, payment flexibility, access to the widest possible range of merchandise, and a higher level of customer engagement.

When you plan for a new mPOS, a complete retail solution is more than a tablet. Easy-to-integrate peripheral components, such as a 1D or 2D barcode scanner, receipt printers, scales, customer displays, and cash drawers, are vital to the retailer’s mPOS success. Star Micronics’ mPOP™, Mobile Point of Purchase, is the first “hybrid for tablet” POS and is an ideal solution for tablet and mobile device-based POS. It affords the above-mentioned benefits and so much more. To learn about mPOP™ and other POS options from Star Micronics, visit www.starmicronics.com.

Download the our eBook: 5 Ways Ergonomic mPOS Solutions for Large Retailers Increase Sales and Boost Customer Satisfaction

January 19, 2017
What to Expect at NRF 2017

Everyone in the point of sale industry knows that NRF is the biggest trade show of the year! As always, Star will be there exhibiting with our entire team of Star Sales, Integrations, and Marketing professionals at booth #3731. In 2016, Star released a number of new products including our TSP100III series and TSP650IIWLAN printers, our new CD3 Cash Drawers, and our PassPRNT, CloudPRNT, and StarPRNT SDK technologies. We’ve also built a number of great partnerships with point of sale software and retail technology providers.

Here’s a sneak peak of what you’ll see at the Star booth at NRF 2017:

mPOP™ Your Way!

While mPOP™ has been around for a couple of years now, Star is continuously making updates and improvements to our all-in-one peripheral to make it the best ergonomic mPOS solution on the market. This year, we are going to be showcasing the mPOP as a point of sale hub with optional accessories including a 1D or 2D barcode scanner, customer display, scale, or a DK port to connect an external cash drawer to the mPOP.

CloudPRNT

CloudPRNT is Star’s latest advance in point of sale technology, allowing users to print to Star printers directly through a cloud service. With CloudPRNT, retailers and restaurateurs can easily accept and print online orders with no need for an extra tablet to communicate with the printer. See a live demo at our booth!

Star Micronics Cloud Services Introduces the Micro Receipt™!

Star Micronics Cloud Services is making huge strides in the digital receipt market! With new features in 2016, including Receipt Flip and Data Facilitation, retailers are now offered more services for the same cost – NOTHING! SMCS is free to retailers using Star receipt printers and allows them to better engage with their customers and offer digital receipts through Star’s AllRe ceipts™ app (which is also free to download in the App Store and Google Play).

This year, SMCS is proud to introduce the Micro Receipt™. We all know that receipts are a necessary, yet sometimes annoying piece of paper that often goes missing or gets thrown away. That is why SMCS has created the Micro Receipt!

The Micro Receipt contains all of the same information as a full-length receipt, but allows the retailer to save paper by only printing their store name or logo, time stamp, and an AllReceipts™ scannable QR code. Customers can then scan the QR code on their smartphone using the AllReceipts™ app and gain access to all of their purchase information along with coupons or promotions on the digital copy. SMCS will be showing demos of the Micro Receipts, AllReceipts app, and all of their additional free services at the Star booth.

Now, let’s meet our Star partners who will be at NRF 2017:

Itemize and Star Micronics have partnered to revolutionize the digital expense receipt market. Itemize is an app that allows users to capture data from their receipts for expense purposes. They have now integrated AllReceipts™ QR capability for a more clean and legible digital receipt, ensuring more accurate data capture.

Dôr and Star Cloud Services have partnered to help retailers know their business inside and out. With Dôr, retailers can see how many customers are visiting their store, compared to how many customers are making a purchase. Retailers can now optimize staffing, improve marketing spending, and be everywhere with Dôr and SCS.

Thirdshelf, another new partner of Star Cloud Services helps retailers to build and nurture customer relationships. Combined with Engage NOW from Star Cloud Services, retailers can create branded loyalty programs to start marketing like a pro. With Thirdshelf and SCS, retailers can make every sale the start of their next.

nClose, a long time partner of Star Micronics, will be exhibiting in Star’s booth, showcasing their protective tablet enclosures and mobile credit card readers for POS. With stands and enclosures for Apple iPad®, Samsung, and Windows tablets, nClose designs pair perfectly with any of Star’s mPOS peripherals.

MoZONE offers a unique omnichannel and proximity marketing solution for all smartphones with no apps required. Using Star’s TSP100ECO printers, MoZONE allows customers to order and pay from any smartphone, tablet, or computer, while notifying customers of deals and promotions based on the customer’s location.

Star and eMobilePOS will be showcasing their point of sale solutions for retail and hospitality with Star’s mPOP™, and SM-T300i and SM-S220i mobile printers. In addition, eMobilePOS and Star will be showcasing our latest solutions with Elo’s iSeries. Visit the eMobilePOS partner counter in the Star booth for a live demo!

Visit our mPOP™ table!

The mPOP is Star’s first hybrid for tablet POS that combines a cash drawer and printer peripheral. Over the past few years, the mPOP has redefined the mPOS market, and many software providers have partnered to support the mPOP with their point of sale software solutions. Make sure to stop by our mPOP table in NRF booth to see a full display of software and stand options for the mPOP.

We look forward to seeing you there!

January 5, 2017
Star Spotlight with Hike POS

What does Hike POS do?

Hike POS is an award-winning omnichannel retail point of sale solution designed for small businesses around the world. With Hike POS, retailers can sell in-store, online, and on-the-go. Hike believes that point of sale should be modern, flexible, and user-friendly, which is why they have made their solution available for PC, Mac, and iOS users. With a wide application suite including inventory management, gift cards, customer loyalty, and more, Hike POS makes it easier than ever to start & grow your business.

How are you working with Star Micronics?

Star was the first choice of point of sale printers for Hike POS. Hike POS promotes Star printers with their cloud-based feature which was recently introduced. Hike POS software combined with Star’s mPOP combination cash drawer, receipt printer, and barcode scanner, allows retailers to get a true, all-in-one mPOS solution that is easy to use and helps grow business.

Hike POS has also been one of the first Star Certified Software Partners to fully integrate Star Cloud Services’ digital receipt and customer engagement tools. Using Star Cloud Services, Hike POS retailers can now offer their customers the option of digital receipts through Star’s AllReceipts™ digital receipts app.

What are the biggest benefits of AllReceipts™ for retailers and for Hike POS?

Retailers love the idea of offering their customer digital receipts, but struggle to get their customers to give up their email address. Hike POS wanted to provide a solution for this problem that their customers where experiencing, so they turned to AllReceipts™. Allowing their retailers to still offer digital receipts without needing any personal information from the customer was a huge win for Hike POS customers.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUkSXZ_oW1Y]

Hike POS vendors were also able to take advantage of other Star Cloud Services features including the instant customer feedback survey, Engage NOW, and Receipt Flip.

“Star is a leader in technology and manufactures fully integrated printers that are easy for our customers to use, including their USB and Ethernet printers, along with the all-in-one mPOP. Star is truly the printer provider of choice for Hike POS” – Jay Sutaria, Business Development Director for Hike POS.

November 29, 2016
POS Industry Updates and Trends of 2016

We are now in the middle of the POS industry redefinition. 2016 and 2017 will be very interesting years where we will see major players rising and others disappearing in the industry.

In the last few years, mPOS solutions have proven that tablet devices are a reliable hardware solution for many retailers, and that the cloud is a reliable solution to provide instant information on not only one, but multiple retail locations. The POS of the 21^st century was born, and is continuing to grow quickly.

What we see now is a strong demand for small, and easy to deploy POS solutions. Since most of the POS solutions now provide a cloud solution, the need for heavy store hardware has decreased significantly, and many POS providers are rethinking their hardware offering.

For many restaurants and retail stores, a simple tablet, cash drawer, and receipt printer is all that is needed . And don’t forget your payment device! The payment device has actually become one of the most important devices at the POS. It is the device that has the capability to enable Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay, and most importantly, EMV enabled payment.

The October EMV deadline came and passed. It did not motivate many SMB retailers to change their POS. The way we, as consumers want to purchase a product is what will make the retailers want to upgrade their point of sale system.

Retailers and restaurateurs alike are looking to increase their revenue by offering purchase options both in-store and online. While online shopping has been around for quite some time, restaurants and food service are also beginning to adopt the idea of online ordering by allowing customers to order pick-up or delivery right from their smart phones.

Leading the transition to this new world, Star Micronics’s hardware and software solutions represent new opportunities for technology providers. Adopting Star Micronics peripheral suite of mobile or desktop printers with Star Micronics cash drawers, or just embracing the world of all-in-one with the mPOP™, (cash drawer, printer, scanner and tablet stand in one, easy to ship package) helps to answer the requirement for smaller POS solution.

Technology like CloudPRNT allows restaurateurs to receive orders from online ordering services without the need to have the printer connected to any other device or service inside the store. CloudPRNT will work with the online service to store jobs, create jobs, and communicate with the printer directly through the cloud.

In addition to leading the way to a better shopping or eating experience, Star is improving the way we manage our purchase receipts. Last year Star released the first true digital receipt solution, AllReceipts™, where shoppers can now decide for themselves if they want to keep their paper receipt or save and store them on their mobile device. Now, Star is offering retailers the capability to communicate electronically with their customers to promote their latest products.

The face of retail will continue to change rapidly and Star will always be there to lead and innovate for you and keep your business successful.

September 29, 2016
10 Ways mPOS Can Benefit Your Business

As a business owner, the last thing you should need to stress over is your point-of-sale system. POS systems are designed to make your daily workflow smoother and easier for business owners and employees alike. If you’re considering a mobile POS solution, be sure to look at ergonomic mobile solutions.

These solutions recognize that some businesses need peripherals beyond the basic tablet POS, such as a combination cash drawer/receipt printer. Here’s what ergonomic mobile solutions offer:

1. Convenience. With an ergonomic tablet POS plus cash drawer/receipt printer, you can accept all payments anywhere, anytime. This is a big improvement over common mPOS, which traditionally only handles electronic payments.

2. Space saver. Ergonomic solutions reduce your POS footprint significantly. With their small size and sleek profile, these platforms are attractive and unobtrusive in your retail or restaurant environment, freeing up space in which you can add tables or expand merchandise displays.

3. Assist mPOS solutions. Because these ergonomic mobile solutions rely on Bluetooth technology for connectivity, they’re fully mobile when needed and rid you of tangled wires and a jumble of dongles.

4. Full functionality. Ergonomic mobile solutions offer robust features and functionality for a wide range of applications.

5. Receipt printer. Small and compact, a built-in printer lets you quickly and quietly print a receipt as soon as the transaction closes. Additionally, sometimes single accessories are needed without a full system. In this case, you should check to see if your system can support additional printers for your bar, kitchen, and other areas.

6. Barcode scanner. If your tablet or mobile device lacks a barcode scanner, your ergonomic mobile solution easily accommodates an optional plug-and-play scanner for reading merchandise.

7. Cash Drawer. A secure cash drawer stores currency, checks, receipts and other important items. The size of the cash drawer you choose will depend on the number of cash transactions you process a day.

8. Software application. To get the greatest value of your ergonomic mobile solution, pick a software application that supports the latest payment options such as NFC and EMV. This will help you to avoid another technology upgrade in the near future.

9. Tablet/device. When evaluating tablet and mobile device options on the market, be sure to select hardware that’s designed to process NFC and EMV payments, preferable without requiring add-ons or peripherals to do so. Choose a device that’s compatible with your preferred software application. Most software applications have a preferred operating system, however if you need a software application to be cross compatible, make sure to do your research and find a web-based solution.

10. Digital receipt. More and more retailers want to deliver an in-store experience that provides digital support. There are innovative, downloadable apps on the market today that are supported by many POS systems. These apps allow your customers to receive a digital copy of their receipt on their smatphones. Some of these apps even allow functionality for customer satisfaction surveys, so retailers can always get a gauge on how they are perceived by their customers.

For more information on mPOS solutions, download our eBook: mPOS: How it’s Revolutionizing Payments

July 29, 2016
4 Solutions to Overcome Mobile Printing Challenges

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 of tableside, and set up additional checkouts for line busting.

Here are four common challenges merchants face with mobile printing and the solutions that will help you overcome them.

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 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.

Challenge 2: 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.

Challenge 3: Printing from a FileMaker™ Project

FileMaker Go is a free app that runs FileMaker applications, such as those for POS and retail management solutions on iPad®, iPhone®, and iPod Touch®. Traditionally, it has not been possible to print from applications such as FileMaker Go to point of sale and mobile printers.

Solution: PassPRNT

Star’s PassPRNT application solves the problem of printing from FileMaker applications. Any FileMaker Go project, native iOS or Androud application, or Web application can send the receipt in an HTML format to the PassPRNT application using a URL Scheme. The PassPRNT native application then formats the receipt for the printer and sends it to any Star Bluetooth printer paired with the iOS device. The operating system can automatically switch from the FileMaker application to the PassPRNT application and back, making seamless, “one-tap” printing possible.

Challenge 4: Continuing to use a Legacy Windows Application with Newer Mobile Hardware

In some instances, a merchant may want to update its hardware to be more mPOS compatible, but also wants to continue to use their legacy system running an OS such as Windows or Linux. Examples may include a PC upgraded to a Microsoft Surface, or a desktop serial or parallel printer upgraded to a network or Bluetooth POS printer.

Solutions: Update Hardware and Drivers

Most legacy applications can be used on the latest Windows 8.1 or 10 tablets. But like any new installation, the new hardware needs to be set up, meaning new drivers, and new configuration. Network printers (either LAN or WLAN) are usually recommended for mPOS system, however new Bluetooth printers are often as powerful and easier to set up. In this configuration, the old cash drawer can be connected to the new printer. However, if the decision is made to use a mobile printer, more modifications are needed. Since 90% of all cash drawers are usually driven by a POS printer, if a portable printer is now used, you will need to update your cash drawer to a wireless one, or integrate DK-AirCash to bring the old drawer to an Ethernet or wireless configuration.

To learn more, download our eBook: How Printer Software Technology is Evolving to Accommodate mPOS

July 11, 2016