Mobile payments are poised to transform how people shop, so savvy restaurants and retailers are already putting the technology into place in their stores. Cash Register Express™ and Restaurant Pro Express™ point of sale solutions already accept Google Wallet and ISIS™ Mobile Wallet payments, but now pcAmerica customers have a third option.

The company recently announced a new integration with Paydiant mobile payments. This new functionality will allow any of pcAmerica’s 50,000 retail and restaurant users to accept Paydiant-powered mobile payments and offers.

Paydiant’s mobile payment platform allows banks, retailers and restaurants to incorporate mobile wallet capabilities into their own iPhone® and Android™ applications. The software-only, cloud-based solution gives restaurants and retail stores the ability to accept Paydiant mobile payments and offers using their existing POS infrastructure.

A number of retailers in Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and South Carolina have already started using the integrated solution. Regional rollouts are expected to continue through the end of the year and into 2013.

“Mobile payments are the future and that future is now for our retail and restaurant customers,” said David Gosman, CEO of pcAmerica. “By integrating the Paydiant mobile payments solution into our POS offerings, we’re offering our users a tremendous opportunity to differentiate the experience for their customers while increasing their operational efficiencies. It’s a seamless transition that leverages their existing POS investment.”

pcAmerica customers can already support a number of other compelling mobile wallet capabilities including pay online, offer and coupon creation, selection and redemption in store and online; and digital receipts and refunds by simply updating to the latest version of the software.

If you want to find out how to start accepting mobile payments using the Paydiant platform, please call your pcAmerica account manager at 1-800-722-6374.

Can you do payroll yourself? Of course! But is it the best decision for a business owner to make? Probably not.

pcAmerica recently partnered with Payroll City to announce a new, integrated payroll platform that will be available in Q4 of 2012.

Here are a few reasons why outsourcing your payroll is one of the best decisions a business owner can make.

The time you spend working on payroll is time you could be spending on growing your business.

A business owner or employee can spend hours working on payroll. And as the number of employees at a store or restaurant grows, so does the amount of time processing the payroll. If other tasks are falling by the wayside while the payroll is completed at the end of each pay period, it’s a sign that it is time to outsource. Free up extra hours that could be spent maintaining your store or restaurant, enhancing customers’ experience or creating new marketing and promotional campaigns.

Mistakes are expensive and time consuming to fix.

Payroll reporting is especially susceptible to fines and penalties if done incorrectly. And, let’s face it, with all the different facets that payroll encompasses—paychecks and direct deposits, deductions, garnishments and local, state and federal tax filings—there is a lot of room for error.

Payroll service providers are well-versed in local, state and federal laws that govern payroll processing. They have the time and resources to keep up with changes to payroll laws, which are made often.Payroll laws differ by the state, and some may have more taxes withheld (ie: city, school district or municipal taxes) on top of state and federal withholdings.

The IRS doesn’t play games, so a payroll service will also ensure that all of the taxes are paid on time, filings are completed by the deadline and that a business is in compliance. The fines and penalties related to incorrect payroll can cost a pretty penny, so it pays to leave this job to the experts.

Payroll services are expensive.

Your time is valuable. Every second a business owner or employee spends working on payroll could actually cost you money, because that person is not helping customers, taking orders or closing sales.

In the past, professional payroll services may have been cost prohibitive for small businesses. pcAmerica’s new payroll solution can be tailored to meet the needs of any size business and doesn’t require any pricey upgrades or new equipment.

Contact us to learn more about pcAmerica’s new payroll integration, or call a representative at 1-800-722-6374.

If you’ve got a business, there’s a good chance you’ve got records….pages and pages of records and reports, stored in boxes or files that are collecting dust and taking up space. Does anyone even know what’s in those boxes and filing cabinets anymore?

Employers are required to store certain records for a designated amount of time. All payroll records need to be kept for three years, so why not make it a little easier to maintain and sort through them?

pcAmerica’s new integrated payroll solution, available at the end of 2012, makes payroll reports accessible and easy to compile and analyze. Forget shuffling through files and documentation—business owners and managers can access their payroll information online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s easy to input, review, manipulate and analyze payroll data from any computer.

It will no longer be necessary to store hundreds of pages of reports—pcAmerica payroll solution compiles payroll information into one easy-to-read report. Additional reports may be downloaded directly from the Internet, eliminating overwhelming amounts of paperwork.

The payroll system allows businesses to streamline its entire payroll process and integrate it with most human resources or accounting software packages.  Secure, online access to payroll records may be granted for third parties including accountants or employees who want to view their past payroll information. Reconciliation is simple with reports in several optional formats, including PDF, MS Excel, XML, tab delimited, CSV, and more. The system also provides an IIF file formatted especially for QuickBooks.

For more information about pcAmerica’s new payroll solution and when you can start maintaining payroll records more efficiently, please contact your pcAmerica representative at 1-800-722-6374.

Shopping online has its perks: it’s convenient, there are no crowds to fight and it’s easier than ever to point, click and buy from practically anywhere. pcAmerica’s upcoming new e-commerce interface, powered by NitroSell, allows B&M retailers to be open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new e-commerce interface will be available in late 2012.

An online presence or web stores gives retailers new opportunities to market their products, attract customers and keep clients posted on new sales and promotions. Whether it’s a shopper’s first time visiting a web store or they’re a repeat customer, there are several things every retailer should be doing to ensure that people keep coming back.

A well-designed, attractive site that is easy to navigate and make purchases ensures that customers will complete the sale. The longer it takes for a shopper to add an item to their cart and pay for their purchases, the more likely it is that they will change their mind and leave the page without completing the transaction.

The new pcAmerica e-commerce platform also gives businesses the opportunity to improve their customer service and increase repeat sales by monitoring web traffic and buying patterns. This information can be compiled and used to make product recommendations (“you may also like….”) or to cross-sell items (“customers who purchase this item also purchased….”).

In just a few clicks, staff can modify a website in-store and it will automatically update online, allowing retailers to easily change promotions, product images and descriptions, pricing and other information. Attractive images or photos of products will make them more appealing to shoppers browsing the online store. Keep descriptions short and succinct—a few lines will hold a customer’s attention and convey the most important points about products.

pcAmerica’s new e-commerce solution will also give businesses the chance to communicate directly with shoppers while they are browsing the store. Fully customizable promotional panels will allow retailers to showcase brands, advertise special offers and promote new products. Retailers can communicate directly with their customers through built-in RSS feeds that automatically send promotion updates to subscribers with one-click links to the web store’s product page.

For more information about pcAmerica and when you’ll be able to incorporate e-commerce into your retail location, please contact a pcAmerica account manager at 1-800-722-6374.

For decades, retail stores have operated the same way: shoppers come into the store, browse the merchandise and select items to purchase. However, the competition is heating up between brick and mortar stores and online-only retailers that offer the same merchandise at rock bottom prices, free shipping and in many states, no sales tax. In fact, the allure of online shopping has caused some B&M retailers to become convenient displays for shoppers looking for items that they intend to purchase online, a practice is commonly known as showrooming. Customers come into the store under the pretense of “just looking” and try on clothes, write down item or style numbers or even take pictures so they can go home and purchase the item online for less.

It’s easy for online merchants without any brick-and-mortar locations to offer products for lower prices because they don’t have the same overhead costs—rent, staff, or bills associated with running a B&M location.

Traditional retailers are not going down without a fight,and they still have a competitive edge for consumers who prefer to use cash or are uncomfortable with online shopping. In-store shopping also means instant gratification: shoppers have the item right after purchasing it andmay return it without stopping at the post office.

As showrooming becomes more commonplace and the number of online shoppers is expected to balloon to 170 million by 2015, retailers have been taking innovative steps to safeguard their businesses.

Some electronics and appliance retailers, including Best Buy, have replaced bar codes with store-specific ones for big-ticket items so prices cannot be compared online. Other retailers like the Container Store, Macy’s and Sears have stepped up their customer service by adding web return/pickup centers, free shipping and even a drive-through customer service center for online sales. High-end department store Nordstrom has added a feature on its website that allows shoppers to browse an individual store’s inventory so they can ensure the item is in-stock before going to the mall.

Payroll is one of the most time-consuming responsibilities for business owners, but it doesn’t have to be anymore. pcAmerica’s new integrated payroll solution, expected to be released in Q4 of 2012,reduces the amount time spent working on payroll by gathering information directly from the point of sale database.

Manual time sheets and schedules can be discarded, as the POS system includes a time clock function that allows employees to clock in and out, accurately tracking their attendance, hours worked and paid/unpaid breaks.  At the end of a pay period, owners and managers can review and submit this information directly from the POS system to Payroll City, which provides full-service, comprehensive payroll processing nationwide. The integrated platform stores job titles, wage rates and W4 information. It also tracks new hires, time off, vacation and sick days and 401K matching.In addition, itcalculates overtime wages in accordance with local laws, handles garnishments, automatically issues checks on security enhanced check stock or convenient direct deposit.

pcAmerica’s new payroll interface will includea low monthly rate and includes all payroll calculations, direct deposit and state and federal quarterly tax filings. For more information, please contact a pcAmerica representative at 1-800-722-6374.

Online shopping sites are turning some serious profits, and these numbers are expected to continue rising. Over the next three years, it’s estimated that $269 billion in online retail revenue will be generated, so there’s a lot of money at stake as shoppers turn to the Internet to purchase everything from clothes to school supplies to groceries.

How can brick-and-mortar retailers stay competitive and capture their share of the billions that will be spent online in the near future? pcAmerica recently announced a new e-commerce solution, powered by NitroSell, that can assist retailers with everything they need to create or enhance their web stores.

The new e-commerce functionality, expected to be release in Q4 of 2012, integrates web store activity with the in-store POS system. Internet orders would be downloaded to Cash Register Express™ in near real time and fulfilled in-store. For added convenience, shoppers may also return their purchases at the B&M location. Businesses can improve their overall customer service and increase repeat sales by using the point of sale system to monitor web traffic and buying patterns.

It’s easy to maintain both a B&M location and a web store as it doesn’t require extra staff or separate record keeping. The e-commerce interface includes a variety of tools that sync inventory levels, customer and shipping information and sales reports for the online and retail stores, eliminating double record keeping and discrepancies between the two outlets.

Retailers can easily change promotions, product images and descriptions, pricing and other information as often as necessary.And, in just a few clicks, employees can modify a website in-store and it will automatically update online.

The system integrates fully with Google Analytics and e-commerce transaction tracking. pcAmerica’s e-commerce solution is available for a low monthly subscription fee.

Please contact your pcAmerica representative at 1-800-722-6374 for more information about how you can integrate e-commerce with your retail store.

pcAmerica, a leading developer of retail, restaurant and fuel point of sale software, received Silver in the Vendor Awards of Excellence software category at RetailNOW 2012. Presented during the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) annual awards banquet, the Awards of Excellence feature seven different categories and have been in existence for over thirty years. They are the only awards in the retail technology industry where dealers vote for their favorite vendors.

“pcAmerica is honored to win the RSPA Silver Award for Best Software,” stated David Gosman, CEO of pcAmerica. “This award is very significant to us because it is voted on by our fellow dealers and means all the hard work we have put in is evident to them as well.”

pcAmerica has been a RSPA Certified Vendor since 2011. Also winning in the software category was Future POS, Inc. with gold and National Computer Corporation with Bronze.

To learn more about pcAmerica, visit www.pcamerica.com.

pcAmerica, a leading developer of point of sale software applications, will be exhibiting at RSPA’s RetailNOW Convention at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 29th-August 1st. In addition to having their software on display, CEO David Gosman will serve as a panelist on the Technology Vision Panel Discussion. The Discussion will take place on Tuesday, July 31st from 10:15-11:45 A.M.

The Discussion will include panelists who have their pulse on the technology changes in the market and how they will impact a company’s line card and business. The Technology Vision Panel Discussion will be moderated by George Koroneos of VSR Magazine and will include panelists from ISIS; Vigiliz, LLC; VendorSafe Technologies and VeriFone. The Discussion includes an open forum portion for guests to ask questions.

Along with the Discussion, Gosman will also be running for the RSPA Board of Directors. People can vote while at RetailNOW. To learn more about the discussion and voting, visit www.gorspa.org/retailnow.

Whether you own a store, restaurant, gas station or convenience store, a well-stocked and smartly managed inventory can be the deciding factor in whether your business is the “one that has everything” or one that patrons avoid because they “never have what I want.”

Inventory is one of the largest, ongoing investments a business owner will make, so it’s imperative that the proper steps are taken to manage this important asset. Accurate reporting also helps owners keep hot items in stock and avoid being overrun by products that don’t sell.

Gas stations and convenience stores have limited shelf space, so understanding the buying habits of your customers can be the difference between a profitable bottom line or a dwindling cash flow.

Fortunately, your point of sale system can save you time from tedious stock counting. Cash Register Express—Fuel Edition includes an integrated and robust inventory tracking module that enables merchants to have accurate stock reports at their fingertips. Each item sold automatically adjusts the store’s inventory levels. This functionality helps reduce or eliminate shrinkage, stock outages and discrepancies and monitor overall inventory movement for merchandise, food items and fuel.

Additional inventory management features that are standard in Fuel Edition™ include purchase orders, automated stock replenishment, min/max levels, back orders and direct store deliveries.
More in-depth reporting features include sales by shift or day, seasonal trends, actual vs. theoretical inventory counts, discrepancy reports, items costs and profit margins, low stock alerts and detailed sales histories of each product.

Even the best POS doesn’t replace old-fashioned counting and receiving processes, so Fuel Edition interfaces with pcAmerica’s Pocket Inventory, a mobile inventory solution. Pocket Inventory works with a handheld Windows Mobile device to count and process deliveries. The “count” feature allows staff to scan each product and enter the number in-stock. These counts synchronize with the POS and reports can be generated to show where stock levels are over or short.

No one likes lugging boxes further than they have to, so deliveries can be scanned in where they are received without bringing items to the register to scan. New orders can be created from the handheld by scanning shelf labels and entering the quantity to purchase.

For more information about Cash Register Express—Fuel Edition™ or Pocket Inventory, please call your pcAmerica representative at 1-800-722-6374.