It’s pretty amazing that executives are finally willing to take poor results on the chin and veer away from precedent in order to morph the company from a mostly brick-and-mortar operation into one that serves customers the way they want to shop — whether in stores, the web, on mobile, or a mix of all three. And if these investments work, they could position the company for another half-century of retail dominance.
Apple is touting its newly redesigned Apple Stores, and they are indeed quite impressive. Conceding that the very nature of Apple’s stores (very limited inventory, complete control of key products, customers who walk in already willing to buy, etc.) makes them hard to compare with a Walmart, Target or Macy’s, they are demonstrating what an in-store experience can be like. Retailers would be well served to take note.
The product displays are trivially nicer, with deep wood colors, but what is striking is a 37-foot, high-resolution display (Apple Insider put the cost of the display alone at $1.5 million per store) that commands attention from passers-by to come into the store. It’s bold and bright and attention-demanding, which is a nice store-ization.
With all of the effort by retailers to lure shoppers into their stores, one would think that granting those customers an easy and painless exit would be a priority. One would be wrong.
A few years ago, Walmart made an impressively clever attempt, leveraging mobile in-store. That experiment, which never got beyond the experimental stage, had shoppers scanning every item as they placed it in their cart. Then when it came time to check out, they would use the self-checkout lane. But instead of rescanning every item, they would display a single barcode from the Walmart trial mobile app that would quickly tell the POS every item being purchased.
Dunkin’ Donuts is testing kiosks with a selection of sandwiches at some of its locations, according to a research analyst who suggested that the effort could boost sales at the coffee chain.
NRN notes that Stephen Anderson, an analyst with Maxim Group, spotted the kiosk at a Connecticut location, and that Dunkin’ confirmed the kiosk was part of a test market. Anderson estimated the effort could boost same-store sales by 1% to 2%, assuming a broader rollout “in late 2016 or 2017.” The news source writes that Dunkin’ realized a 0.8% same-store sales decline in the fourth quarter of 2015. The company is also looking to replace declining sales of packaged coffee inside its units.
“We believe that morning customers may pick up an additional item, such as a sandwich or salad, for consumption later that day, while afternoon beverage customers can pick up a snack on the run,” Anderson wrote in a note. NRN reports that Anderson also said the kiosks would help with the franchisee cost structure “because operators will have to keep prepared food on hand and the items are made at a central commissary, which keeps costs down.”
McDonald’s announcement that it is testing mobile ordering in undisclosed markets arrives on the heels of the chain’s revamped loyalty platform – both bids to revive disappointing sales – but it may not be enough to win customers’ allegiance.
Maybe your best bank branch is that local ATM down at the supermarket (manipulated by your TV remote aka smartphone)?
BoA reports 16,038 automated teller machines in the U.S. at the end of last year, a jump of 204 compared with the same period the year before.
It’s he latest example of how banks nationwide are investing heavily in self-service technology for consumers – at the same time dialing back on costly branches.
Enabled by air travel technology and self-service kiosks, today’s air passengers are connected and independent, and want to move continuously without delay, according to the 2015 Global Passenger Survey from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and PwC. Here’s a breakdown of what’s gaining in popularity today.
Sephora wants to win customers’ hearts and minds, and it’s willing to pony up the dough to make sure it’s the most tech- and social justice-savvy brand around.
Research highlights continued growth in the deployment of automated deposit ATMs and finds the technology is often a key component of banks’ branch transformation programmes Nearly a third of ATMs
ESA will also allow for other increased functionality such as third-party integration and remote functions enabling lottery players to scan, check, and validate lottery tickets over the Internet and through mobile devices, as well as claim retail prizes over the Internet and through mobile devices.
Over the term of the extension period, IGT will continue its ongoing services including the maintenance of the Michigan Lottery’s central system, 11,000 Altura® terminals, and communications network; field services; retailer training; marketing support, call center support services; and instant-ticket warehousing and distribution. IGT will continue to operate its in-state primary data center in Lansing, and maintain its backup data center in Austin, Texas.
LONDON, March 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — IGT Signs Four-Year Contract Extension with the Michigan Lottery to Continue Offering Lottery Products and Services…
ESA will also allow for other increased functionality such as third-party integration and remote functions enabling lottery players to scan, check, and validate lottery tickets over the Internet and through mobile devices, as well as claim retail prizes over the Internet and through mobile devices.
Over the term of the extension period, IGT will continue its ongoing services including the maintenance of the Michigan Lottery’s central system, 11,000 Altura® terminals, and communications network; field services; retailer training; marketing support, call center support services; and instant-ticket warehousing and distribution. IGT will continue to operate its in-state primary data center in Lansing, and maintain its backup data center in Austin, Texas.
Pyramid Computer GmbH, a developer and producer of customisable IT solutions in the retail & interactive sectors, will showcase its latest All-in-one polytouch components range and Intelligent Vending Modules at the Retail Business Technology Expo 2016.
AVNetwork : Travel can be an exciting, enriching experience, but getting from point A to point B sometimes is a hassle: sprinting through an unfamiliar airport or train station, navigating crowds while trying to ..
Virtual reality has long been the province of the gaming world and fantasies like the movie Minority Report. But with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices projected to be a $4 billion business by 2018, much is being made of the technologies’ potential to transform the retail customer experience.
But it’s also why home-improvement retailer Lowe’s is continuing to develop its “Holoroom.” The Holoroom, first unveiled in 2014, allows homeowners or their interior designers to try things out in their own spaces, or share ideas, including apps that operate on mobile.
With consumers increasingly getting impatient of waiting around – high street stores and airports face a more challenging environment to manage queues to not only avoid customers abandoning their baskets, but also to create the ultimate experience for consumers in their stores.
The video above from Boston Dynamics introduces the next generation of Atlas, the amazing bipedal robot. Atlas is designed to operate successfully indo …
Look for Olea Kiosks at booth # 11419 on the HIMSS16 exhibition floor in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LAS VEGAS, NV – 3/1/16 6:00AM PST
Olea Kiosks will be showing the industry’s latest adjustable check-in healthcare kiosk at the 2016 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada from Feb. 29 – March 4, 2016.
Olea’s Verona Healthcare Kiosk is an adjustable height kiosk solution designed and developed specifically for use in the
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healthcare setting. The kiosk is built to address the needs of both patients and providers and every feature and component is fully HIPAA and ADA-compliant.
The Ideal Patient Kiosk
Infinitely adjustable over a 10 inch range, the Verona can raise and lower the height of the kiosk with the press of a button. The entire kiosk is adjustable, not just the monitor, moving all components with you allowing for continued optimal component placement. The Verona is fully ADA-compliant and is designed to provide easy access for all patient users, standing or sitting. The extended front console accommodates wheelchair users and is compliant with forward approach ADA requirements. The standard components on the Verona, including Capacitive Touch technology with accurate on screen signature capture, EMV compliant payment devices, duplex ID scanner and printer, are all designed for ease of access by all patients.
The Perfect Turn-Key Solution for Providers
Because the Verona was conceptualized as a healthcare kiosk, it is designed to be utilized in a healthcare setting and specifically addresses the needs of the healthcare providers. The kiosk is built as a turn-key solution and is compatible with all major healthcare software platforms, including Epic, PatientWorks, Siemens, and McKesson. This ensures that the patient participation through the kiosk can be easily integrated with a provider’s existing internal record keeping systems.
Optional components of a Verona include a barcode scanner, web camera, Wi-Fi adapter, and audio headphone jack. These optional features allow the unit to be customized to accommodate the security standards and accessibility needs of any provider.
Easy to Service and Maintain
The Verona is also built with serviceability in mind. The quick change hardware system can be accessed, serviced and even replaced without using any tools. All internal systems of the Verona are accessible through the front of the unit, making it perfect for placement against a wall or with another Verona unit back-to-back. The ease of maintenance of the unit ensures low management costs and minimal downtime in the event of a service need.
Like all Olea kiosks, the Verona is designed, engineered, and manufactured in the USA using top-of-the-line components. The kiosk is extremely durable and capable of handling a high volume of users. Olea has delivered thousands of kiosk solutions to major healthcare organizations nationwide.
Contact Olea Kiosks today at www.olea.com or 800-927-8063 to find out how Olea’s state-of-the-art kiosks can revolutionize your patient check-in experience. See Olea at HIMSS Booth #11419
About Olea Kiosks
Olea is the industry leading designer and manufacturer of custom kiosks inspired by our mission to “build better kiosks through intelligent design.” Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike, turn to Olea Kiosks for their trusted lineup of sleek, standard and fully custom kiosk solutions that suit a vast array of applications.
Not too long ago, I got a call from a New York Times magazine reporter. It’s not the first time the media has reached out to ask about the vending industry, but more than current trends, this reporter wanted data and the movement of the industry from…
Micro markets have replaced vending in many large accounts. The estimates are that there are approximately 9,000 micro markets now.
The last interesting increase in the last 10 years has been the acceptance of cashless payment, or vending machines taking credit/debit cards as well as payment via smartphone. Back in 1995, only 57.6 percent of the vending machines in the U.S. accepted dollar bills (as opposed to coins). By 2000, that number was 80 percent. Cashless was added to the report in 2004, which meant that pretty much 100 percent of vending machines accepted paper money. In 2004, only 2 percent of vending machines accepted credit or debit cards (no mobile at that time). Last year, our research suggests 11 percent of vending machines now accept multiple forms of cashless payment (a number that is still far less than other retail locations).
The products are fanless, solid-state design and highly reliable devices to use “headless” or with keyboard, mouse and monitor. Flexible and powerful, with extensive input/output (I/O) options, they run on Intel processors.
