Category Archives: retail automation

Automated Retail Systems and Retail Automation

The automated retail industry is one of the two core technology showplaces today (financial Services being #2).

    • Emerging technologies such as robotics, lockers, digital signage, vending and automated vending lead the way.   Amazon and Google revolutionize physical delivery. OuterWall has another great idea (or not).
    • More mature retail technology includes interactive displays, next-generation POS,  mobile interplay, multi-touch, kiosks for self-service, video services, and customer service technology.
    • Companion technologies include ATMs, kiosks, Advanced ATMS,  NFC and thin client.
    • Standards – here we have more regulatory guidelines in play along with more standards than any other industry. PCI, OPOS, JPOS, MPOS,  HIPAA, ADA, UL, CE just to name a few.

National Restaurant Show 2026: Will self service drive the AI restaurant ecosystem?

National Restaurant Show, May 16-19, McCormick Place, Chicago The race is on in the restaurant space. Consumers, time pressed and increasingly tech savvy, rely on commercial foodservice for their daily meals, inflation notwithstanding.  To meet this demand, foodservice operators cannot take a breather in acquiring the most cost efficient tools at their disposal. No small feat for an… Read More: National Restaurant Show 2026: Will self service drive the AI… »

NAMA 2026: AI-drives opportunities for unattended retail; 9 takeaways to consider

AI plays a key role in convenience services post-COVID rebound “Fresh Food, No Kitchen Required” was how Aramark Refreshments greeted visitors at Imagination Way, the entry point at the NAMA 2026 trade show in Los Angeles last week. That theme carried itself throughout the Los Angeles Convention Center as attendees discovered the myriad ways unattended retail technology enables… Read More: NAMA 2026: AI-drives opportunities for unattended retail; 9 takeaways to… »

Convenience services: From commoditization to specialization

NAMA 2026 in Los Angeles Has there ever been a more exciting time to be in the convenience services industry? Take a look at the education schedule for NAMA 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, April 22-24. The capabilities introduced by AI and related technologies have unleashed extensive possibilities for delivering white glove quality service in an… Read More: Convenience services: From commoditization to specialization »

 Amusement Expo International 2026 boosts personalization, management

Trade Show Report It’s never a dull moment in the amusement business, but last week’s Amusement Expo International show in Las Vegas pushed the industry’s excitement into a higher gear. Attendees at the Las Vegas Convention Center indulged in a barrage of gamification innovations – personalization technologies such as immersive reality, AI holograms and  avatars – that augment… Read More:  Amusement Expo International 2026 boosts personalization, management »

NRF Big Show 2026: Top 10 takeaways on push to self service, exhibitor highlights

Photo provided by the National Retail Federation. NRF Big Show 2026 Report One would be guilty of hyperbole to say that the NRF Big Show in New York City has become the largest self-service technology show in the world. But a veteran attendee can certainly say the number of unattended service exhibits has surged every year, driven by… Read More: NRF Big Show 2026: Top 10 takeaways on push to… »

CES 2026: AI, robotics drive B2C/B2B crossover

Photo provided by the Consumer Technology Association. Tech Report from Las Vegas Everyone knows AI is changing the way we live. What became obvious walking the CES show this week is that everything from making the morning coffee to using the toilet to knowing the best route to get to wherever you’re going when you leave the house… Read More: CES 2026: AI, robotics drive B2C/B2B crossover »

Technology drives vending use cases, tasks equipment service teams

Service and Vending Much has been reported about new capabilities of self service equipment thanks to technology, but when it comes to vending, one maxim has never changed since the time Hero of Tesibus is believed to have invented a coin-operated machine to dispense sacrificial water in ancient Egypt: Service makes the difference. In vending industry parlance, “service”… Read More: Technology drives vending use cases, tasks equipment service teams »

Walmart Removing Self-Checkout – What Are The Numbers?

walmart self-checkout

Removing Self-Checkout by Walmart  Buzz The only thing more popular than Taylor Swift’s music industry influence might be Walmart and it’s Self-Checkout units.  Maybe close to 100,000 installed across the world? Cash cow for NCR for sure (but here comes Zebra…).  Toshiba isn’t exactly laying down either. Fact is over the last 12 months Walmart has removed self-checkout… Read More: Walmart Removing Self-Checkout – What Are The Numbers? »

Betson Enterprises expands in Nebraska

Betson Enterprises, a provider of amusement and skill games, is expanding its national footprint with a new office in La Vista, Nebraska, to meet the growing demand for skill games in the state. Having successfully established a strong presence in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, Betson is poised to replicate its success in Nebraska with the introduction of innovative… Read More: Betson Enterprises expands in Nebraska »