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• Mobile POS carving out a larger home in retail

  • Tablet POS
  • Mobile POS

  October 22, 2013

  

  Many retailers have reached a crossroads when it comes to the POS terminal. Over the last few years, the use of cloud-based systems and mobile registers has grown, just as the technology that backs them has evolved. Apple's mobile-based operating system was still a novel concept as little as five years ago. Now it is commonplace.

  Scott Lamb, the founder of a Utah-based point of sale solution provider, was recently interviewed in a Business Solution article about the current landscape of the point of sale industry. He covered several topics, but focused heavily on the use of tablet POS and cloud-based systems.

  Lamb mentioned that a number of organizations are using a hybrid fixed/mobile environment by keeping at least one traditional POS station. This allows all customers to feel … more

• SAP vending machine shows power of NFC technology

  • NFC
  • Bank Card Terminals

  October 16, 2013

  Many organizations are looking for different ways to connect with their customers and provide a more personalized shopping experience. Imagine walking up to a vending machine and finding it stocked with all of your favorite treats. Customers would immediately get drawn in and start looking for those machines.

  This is far from being just a marketer's dream, as SAP has created a smart vending machine that allows users to make payments through an NFC link and social profile. Consumers simply tap their smartphone against a receiver on the machine. This actives the machine, which in turn pulls the customer information from the cloud. Funds are taken from a preselected account and the video screen provides information like last purchased items and customized special offers. … more

• Why are NFC and the payment industry so far apart?

  • NFC
  • Bank Card Terminals

  October 10, 2013

  

  For the last few years, the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the payment world has been the "next big thing." However, you are more likely to use the chip to send pictures between smartphones or connect a device to a third party peripheral. The question then becomes, why have payments and NFC not been joined in a partnership yet?

  A recent article from the Calgary Herald examined the current landscape of NFC technology and attempted to answer this question. According to the news source, the problem is not the technology, but rather the system or solutions around it.

  "It starts with the banks and credit companies that need to invest in the new opportunity and bridge consumers and merchants by offering a secure and standard payment system," the article reads. … more

• Study: in-store mobile commerce to reach $1.7 trillion by 2017

  • Tablet POS
  • Mobile POS
  • NFC

  October 09, 2013

  

  There was big news in the mobile payment landscape at the end of last month as PayPal acquired Braintree—a company that specializes in mobile transactions. This is another example of the feeling that mobile devices will play a major role in the future of consumer payments.

  BI Intelligence released the results of a study that looked at the main reasons for this trend. The numbers show that overall, mobile commerce is still in its early stages as only 7.9 million U.S. consumers have an NFC-compatible system. That equates to less than 9 percent of the market.

  Despite that, in-store mobile payments nearly quadrupled last year. On top of that, smartphone and tablet POS systems have penetrated more deeply into the retail sector for both small businesses and larger enterprises. The … more

• 'Internet of Things' pushing tablet POS solutions

  • Tablet POS

  October 09, 2013

  The "Internet of Things" (IoT) is one of those terms that many in the tech community have been talking about for some time, but it is just know making its way into popular lexicon. IoT refers to a trend where many gadgets and systems will be connected through wireless technology. For example, a grill thermometer could send an alert to your tablet that your steak is ready or you could access security camera footage on your smartphone.

  A recent article from TabTimes examined the IoT through the lens of the retail sector. While the idea has been around since 1999, the technology has only recently evolved to the point that it is financially feasible for any organization to adopt it successfully. On top of that, there are service providers out there that can help any … more

• EMV a hot topic at the PCI SCC meetings

  • EMV
  • Bank Card Terminals

  October 01, 2013

  Last week in Las Vegas, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council (SCC) kicked-off its annual PCI Community Meetings. This is where members of the payment industry come together to discuss the current state of affairs, voice concerns and ask questions. It leads to the third version of the PCI Data Security Standards report which will be out in November.

  A recent article from Search Security features an interview with two members of the council, Bob Russo and Troy Leach. According to Leach, one of the hottest topics during the meetings has been EMV technology. An entire session was spent just on this area.

  "As EMV migrates to the U.S. market, we're going to see a significant shift in fraud, away from face-to-face retail transactions," Leach said. "EMV is a phenomenal … more

by Ty Hardison

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