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.
MALAGA, Spain — The European Vending Association reports that the first staging of its EVEX event achieved its objectives of highlighting the value of the vending industry to the public and the European authorities.
Elected as a representative of the machine manufacturer segment is Paolo Ghidotti, N&W Global Vending. Jeff Alsop of Crane Payment Innovations is chosen as a representative of the Payment Systems and Vending Solutions segment, and Lavazza’s Sergio Telesco is elected from the Ingredient Suppliers category.
ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – According to UPS Monday is the busiest shipping day of the year. Which means those packages will soon be arriving at your doorstep. Twenty-three million Americans have had packages stolen, according to a new report by Princeton Survey Research Association.
Access Points allow customers to pick up packages at 8,000 locations nationwide. UPS officials predict the busiest deliver day of the year will be December 22nd. They are scheduled to deliver about 36 million packages, which is one million more than last year.
Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) today released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a food concessionaire in the kiosk at the entrance of Pier 1. BBP is seeking inventive and creative proposals from quality operators with solid backgrounds in the food service industry. BBP’s intention is for the concession to complement the ambience and aesthetic of the park and surrounding area while providing a convenient service to the public
Through this RFP process, BBP hopes to capture the diversity and originality of local fare by featuring a fresh and original concession at Pier 1. The site is noteworthy for its past success in a neighborhood defined by robust culinary offerings. With nearby restaurants including longtime favorites, respected institutions, and groundbreaking newcomers, concessions at Brooklyn Bridge Park have distinguished it as a prominent contributor to the area’s food culture.
Responses to the RFP will be evaluated on the basis of their fee offer, operating experience, proposed capital investment and design, planned operations and financial capability. BBP will look favorably upon responses that include environmentally friendly practices and an awareness of the role of the concession as an integral part of the surrounding community.
There will be an informational session and site tour at 11:00am on December 18, 2015. Responses to the RFP must be submitted to BBP by 3:00pm on January 5, 2016. For more information, please visit our Business Opportunities page.
Twenty-three million Americans have had packages stolen, according to a new report by Princeton Survey Research Association. Just this week, police in southwest suburban Riverside issued an alert about package thefts. How can you outsmart the thieves?
All types of mobile apps. An app called Doorman is also available in Chicago. There are some free options, too, such as the Amazon lock boxes popping up at area 7-Elevens and other stores. You can also get your packages delivered directly to FedEx or UPS stores.
UPS also just launched another, new free service: UPS Access Point. Customers can pick up packages at 8,000 locations nationwide.
“It is really convenient that I can personally pick it up and not risk anyone stealing it,” Allison Poteet said.
Daffodils flower shop in Bucktown is one of those locations.
Avanti Markets held its fourth annual Operator Meeting in San Antonio, TX on December 1st through the 3rd. This year’s meeting achieved new attendance records from the previous year with over 230 attendees throughout the two-day conference.
The big news was Avanti announced a new program that offers a Lifetime Guarantee for all kiosks. Jim Brinton, CEO stated “I have always said that as Avanti reaches some scale we would be giving back to those Operators that have helped us reach those milestones. I feel that one of the biggest concerns for Operators has been not knowing the lifespan of a Kiosk since this equipment is new to them, and what those unknown costs would be to maintain or replace that Kiosk. A lifetime warrantee just removed that question and certainly will let our Operator family sleep better at night,”
The meeting ended with a raffle of equipment sponsored by vendors of Avanti Markets. One of the most exciting items was an Executive Kiosk that was sponsored by Slabb Kiosks, Inc. Other vendors that donated items for the raffle were MEI Group, Genesis Décor, Minus Forty Technologies, Mobile Merchandiser, and Premier Wireless. Each year the meeting concludes with awards handed out to operators to recognize individuals for specific categories. The Awards and honorary winners are as follows Coffee Spotlight Recognition awarded to PGI Services/Specialized Markets; Micro Market Legislative Advocate awarded to both Advantage Food & Beverage and Continental Vending; New 2015 Operator Spotlight awarded to Jackson Brothers of the South; Operator of the Year awarded to Continental Services; Growth Performer of the Year awarded to Monumental Vending; Customer Appreciation awarded to Canteen of Coastal California. “We want to thank all of our operators and suppliers for their continued support in making our annual meeting a success to all that attended,” said Brinton.
Chip and PIN was designed to prevent fraud, but it also created a new opportunity for criminals that is taking retailers by surprise. Known as “forced authorisation”, committing the fraud requires no special equipment and when it works, it works big: in one transaction a jewellers store lost £20,500.
This type of fraud is already a problem in the UK, and now that US retailers have made it through the first Black Friday since the Chip and PIN deadline, criminals there will be looking into what new fraud techniques are available.
Consumer experiences, particularly those with uncomplicated digital transactions such as Uber and AirBnB, are frequently being compared to and referenced in unrelated industries. The ease and simplicity of these platforms raises the question: ‘Why can’t all customer service and payment transactions be this easy?’
As digital disruption and technological innovation elevate the competitive stakes, companies are quickly learning they must adapt to rapidly changing consumer behaviour or risk drowning in this new liquidity.
Take Coca-Cola Amatil’s retrofitting of vending machines. The beverage company boosted sales by up to 12 per cent after creating a fresh and personalised vending experience through the installation of touchscreens, video cameras and Microsoft Kinect technology. The marketing team borrowed tactics traditionally employed by technology and audiovisual offerings to sell a consumer packaged good.
Not only did the improvement of the vending machines drive sales, the data created by these connected apparatus is enabling Cola-Cola Amatil to make better decisions about cooler placement, restocking, and wider retail needs.
As the marketing and business focus of leading brands shifts from the competitor to the consumer, brands should consider three critical elements in order to position themselves for success in a ‘liquid’ environment:
Get personal
As people increasingly compare their experiences and develop ‘liquid expectations,’ the erosion of consumer loyalty has been recorded. A global study conducted in 2014 by Accenture found six in 10 respondents were more likely to switch from one provider to another compared to 10 years ago. Of that group, 50 per cent said they would consider future offers from non-traditional players that they may never have previously considered.
Retailers across the board are merging digital connectivity with physical stores. For example, Walmart reports that more than 25 million customers used online store maps and ads to plan their Black Friday excursions to stores across the country.
The merging of digital and physical shopping is seen at high-end stores as well. For example, Origins, a skin-care retailer, spent 10 weeks remodeling its Biltmore Fashion Park location ahead of the holidays to make it more interactive.
Shoppers can choose from one of five free “mini-facial” treatments when they visit the store, and a sample wall is lined with candy jar-like dishes of product for them to test.
Focusing on the in-person experience doesn’t mean the company shuns the Internet. In addition to its online sales, the company has an Instagram social-media campaign for customers to post pictures of themselves wearing facial masks, a core product.
The #maskmonday promotion gives loyal (and unreserved) customers the opportunity to win free masks by posting photos of themselves and tagging the store.
“It’s really popular,” Hatcher said.
The mall also has a promotion through Dec. 20 in which shoppers who take a “selfie” with any of the holiday décor and post it on Facebook or Instagram can win a hotel and ice-skating package at the Hotel Palomar in downtown Phoenix (using the skating rink from fellow RED property CityScape).
At RED’s Aspen Place Shopping Center in Flagstaff, anchored by an REI store, there will be a similar selfie sweepstakes, Jones said.
Becoming “Amazon-proof” is an enviable position for any retailer, as the company’s online dominance has most major retailers such as Target and Walmart playing catch-up.
But Costco has been able to hold its own because of its membership model and ability to incentivize visits to brick-and-mortar locations.
Membership programs are on the rise, with services such as Amazon Prime and online-grocery startups quickly growing. While there are newcomers in the membership area, Costco’s 44.6 million households is an enormous number, accounting for $785 million in sales in the fourth quarter.
