The fifth annual RIS/Cognizant Shopper Experience Study was released in August. This year’s study polled 5,311 shoppers in North America (2,414 respondents), Europe and China. The RIS study highlighted six areas of interest: mobile, social media, personalized marketing, cross channel integration, loyalty and digital shopping.

Here are some of the highlights from the study:

Mobile

• 52% of shoppers have used their mobile device to make a purchase.
• Less than half of the survey respondents were happy with their mobile retail experiences.

 Social Media:

• 63% of shoppers don’t want retailers to use social media to influence their purchases, recommend products or share deals.
• Retailers should share info sparingly on social media to avoid cluttering their customers’ news feeds.

Personalized Marketing

• Customers will share information about loyalty (43%), personal preferences (33%), birthdays and other events (29%).
• They will not tell you their credit card numbers (69%), social network information (68%), household information or statistics (64%).

Loyalty Plans

• 92% of people belong to at least one loyalty plan, while 75% of respondents belong to as many as 10 plans.
• Grocery stores have the highest rated loyalty plans (42%), followed by pharmacies (31%) and department stores (20%).

Online Shopping                 

• 69% of people shop online for the competitive prices.
• 28% are more likely to use a mobile coupon than a traditional one.
• The top three reasons people shop online are:
  • It’s easy to find information.
  • It’s easy to make returns.
  • The experience is consistent.

It’s only October, but it’s not too soon to start thinking about the holiday shopping season. The National Retail Federation (NRF) released a report this month projecting sales in November and December to increase a “healthy” 4.1 percent to $616.9 billion. This number is higher than last year’s increase of 3.1 percent for the same time period. According to the NRF, this would be the first time since 2011 that holiday sales would rise more than four percent.

Improvements in key economic indicators (consumer credit, jobs, housing data, disposable personal income and previous months’ sales numbers) are going to give way to increased spending power, but it’s expected—as in previous years– that shoppers are going to be very price sensitive.

Although Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has long been the “official” start of the holiday shopping season, many eager retailers are not even waiting until Thanksgiving. It’s not uncommon to see holiday items in stores long before Halloween. The shopping season is getting longer; more promotions and Black Friday deals are being rolled out long before the actual day and as a result, there are more opportunities to save. People aren’t jumping at the first sale they see—they are willing to hold out to see if prices will drop even further.

This uptick in consumer spending would be a welcome change from 2014’s rocky start and slow summer season. But despite the optimistic holiday outlook, shoppers are expected to keep one eye on the country’s economic recovery and continue their never-ending quest for the lowest price.

Is your POS system ready for the holiday season? If you haven’t already enabled the digital receipt option on your POS terminals, it’s a good time to give it a try. pcAmerica’s Cash Register Express and Restaurant Pro Express have the capability to email customers digital receipts and vendor purchase orders in lieu of traditional paper ones.

Shoppers are rarely able to keep track of all the receipts they receive, but these proofs of purchase are important, especially as holiday shopping time begins. If a receipt is lost among wrapping paper and gift bags, shoppers may simply print out another copy instead of being forced to keep or re-gift an item they would rather return. The ability to make hassle-free returns moves customer service lines faster and increases the chance that people will shop at the store again.

E-receipts are a smart choice for businesses and their customers. Please contact your account manager at pcAmerica at 1-800-722-6374 to find out how you can start issuing digital receipts.

If you’ve been holding out on updating your Cash Register Express or Restaurant Pro Express software, now’s the time to do it! Upgrading your point of sale system can save you time and money.

The reality is, not investing in keeping your point of sale system current can actually cost you money and time. When it comes time to complete the check-out process, shoppers expect to see up-to-the minute technology that enhances their shopping experience. Having a POS system that allows customers to pay any way they like, sends them coupons, and tracks their purchase history for loyalty program purposes is important.

Many point of sale systems include functionalities that make day-to-day business activities more efficient for business owners, allowing them to streamline payroll processes, eCommerce functions, industry-specific mandated reporting and more.

Customers who are not running the most recent version of Cash Register Express or Restaurant Pro Express don’t have access to the newest reporting functions that can give them valuable insight into their sales history, customers’ spending habits, scheduling and other data that can help streamline their operations and improve performance.

You probably don’t need dozens of new functionalities any more than you need a rigid system that doesn’t give you flexibility for the future. Please call your pcAmerica sales representative at 1-800-722-6374, or visit www.pcamerica.com to get an upgrade that will help you maximize your POS system’s potential.

At pcAmerica, we love talking about mobile payments to each other and everyone else. A lot of times we hear from people that the term “mobile payment” means you pay with your phone at the register. The reality is that’s just one type of mobile payment, so we decided to lay out the facts for you here.

Although most mobile payments involve some form of electronic money, there are actually several different kinds of mobile payments, according to our friends at mobilepaymentstoday.com.

Mobile AT the POS: When you use your phone or another mobile device to pay at the register using NFC or “tap and go” technology.

Mobile AS the POS: One of our favorites, this is an actual Mobile POS system. For example, pcAmerica’s Restaurant Pro Express™ Mobile empowers clients with fast tableside ordering and payments using an Apple® iPod touch®, iPhone® or iPad Mini®.

Using Restaurant Pro Express™ Mobile, servers can take orders tableside and securely process credit card transactions through an attached encrypted credit card reader. Payments are processed in front of patrons and their credit cards never leave the table, virtually eliminating the possibility of theft from card skimming. Wait staff may print receipts with Epson’s Mobilink™ wireless mobile printer or email diners a paperless receipt.

Mobile payment platforms:Under this category falls anything that allows a shopper to send money to a merchant using a mobile device. Mobile wallets can be included here. pcAmerica clients can accept the following mobile payment platforms: LevelUp’s mobile payment and loyalty solution and ISIS Mobile Wallet, an ultra-secure mobile payment functionality that includes several safeguards against theft or fraud.

Restaurant Pro Express and Cash Register Express also accept payment through Paydiant and Google Wallet, a mobile payment system that stores credit cards, loyalty information and gift cards.

Closed loop mobile payments: This is what happens when a company doesn’t want to use another mobile wallet or payment platform and decides to build its own. Starbucks is the best example of a closed loop mobile payment. This format undoubtedly takes the most time and money but in the case of Starbucks, it’s been hugely successful.

Theft and shrinkage are part of a retail business. Where there are stores, there are shoplifters of all shapes, sizes and ages. Shoplifters aren’t just people who steal high-ticket items they cannot afford; they could be anyone stealing anything, from expensive electronics to household items like batteries and Tylenol.

It may surprise you to hear that there are organized retail crime (ORC) rings that have built a huge secondary market based on illegally gotten goods. According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime gangs cost the retail industry $30 billion per year. These crime rings are so smart and brazen than more than 90 percent of retailers surveyed by the NRF say they have fallen victim to one of these gangs in the last year.

ORC rings are not dragging flat screen TVs out of stores or pocketing iPods. They are lifting everyday items that people need—allergy medicine, laundry detergent and baby formula. Once the items have been secured, they are sold at a physical location called a “fence” or online, a practice known as eFencing.

Retail crime is a serious issue that affects many businesses. The theft doesn’t always occur in store, either—retailers may also have their goods stolen from cargo containers or while they are in-transit between locations.

Retailers that want to be proactive in fighting ORC in their store should leverage an accurate and robust inventory control. The inventory tracking capabilities within Cash Register Express™ detail which products are selling, what needs to be reordered and identifies items that have been stolen or are otherwise missing. The integrated purchasing functionality is used to track vendor lists, manage item costs and generate and receive purchase orders. Stock can be counted or received away from the register using the integrated Pocket Inventory software on a handheld computer.

Protect your business from ORC and help deter future thefts with the proper inventory tracking controls. Please contact your pcAmerica sales representative to learn about how you can track your inventory more effectively at 1-800-722-6374.

Bar codes are an easy way to automate a business, track assets, sort documents and manage inventory. Consumers are familiar with bar codes on items they purchase, but what appears to be a random series of lines and spaces is actually a goldmine of information for a store.

People make mistakes all the time–the average person also makes an average of one error for every 20 words typed. If your employees are still inputting prices into a computer or looking up what’s in stock from a manually maintained list, it’s time to think about how bar codes can make things easier.

Bar codes are one of the first steps a business can make towards a faster check out. pcAmerica’s Bar Code Express software comes standard with Cash Register Express™ point of sale Enterprise edition. The Bar Code Express module reads current inventory information from your POS system and prints bar codes on a laser printer or compatible label printers (see list of certified hardware at faq.pcamerica.com). Employees may select different labels or even design their own label.

Once the bar codes have been printed and applied, a bar code scanner and inventory control software help manage and locate inventory. We’ve all waited while employees looked around the stockroom for an item that they thought was in the back, only to be disappointed when we’re told that they would have to order it. Using a bar code, employees can simply look up the information to check if an item is in stock.

Bar codes are “read” by bar code scanners like Honeywell’s Xenon 1900, the company’s sixth-generation of area-imaging technology. The hand-held scanner features a custom image sensor that is optimized for bar code scanning. The area imager has image processing software with advanced editing features and the ability to load and link multiple applications on the scanner. The Xenon 1900 is perfect for high-traffic locations like convenience stores, and is durable enough to withstand harsh environments and chemicals.

Interested in learning more about how implementing a barcode solution can improve the operations of your store? For more information on using barcoding in your business, call your pcAmerica sales representative at 1-800-722-6374 or visit our blog.

In 2013, the average American drank nearly 28 gallons of beer, according to the Beer Institute. A local paper in Austin, Texas reported that last June, the city’s local bars, restaurants and hotels sold $43.6 million worth of age-restricted beverages. That’s a lot of wine, liquor and beer sold every year—and a lot of risk.

Federal regulations stipulate that employees at liquor stores, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants check IDs to verify the customer is of legal age before completing their purchase or order. Doing this job manually is not only time-consuming, but provides opportunity for a large margin of error.

The stakes are higher than ever. Penalties for selling age-restricted items like beer, liquor and cigarettes to underage buyers are costly and potentially devastating for businesses. They can include fines as well as the risk of losing their liquor license if they are caught selling alcohol or beer to minors. Business owners should ensure that every sale is legal by automating their age verification process. One such way is Easy DL™, Honeywell’s age verification scanning software, which is included in pcAmerica’s Cash Register Express™ and Restaurant Pro Express™ software.

When an age-restricted product is scanned using an Easy DL-enabled Honeywell scanner such as the Xenon 1900, the software will prompt the cashier to scan the customer’s ID. The monitor will clearly display an ID ACCEPTED or ID REJECTED message, depending upon the customer’s date of birth. CRE and RPE prevent the sale of an age-restricted product to a purchaser with an ID REJECTED status, ensuring regulatory compliance. The automated processing saves employees a lot of time, increases productivity and indirectly boosts profitability.

Honeywell’s Xenon 1900 is the company’s sixth-generation of area-imaging technology. The hand-held scanner features a custom image sensor that is optimized for barcode scanning. The area imager has image processing software with advanced editing features and the ability to load and link multiple applications on the scanner. The Xenon 1900 is perfect for high-traffic locations like convenience stores and is durable enough to withstand harsh environments and chemicals.

For more information about how you can implement Honeywell’s age verification application in your business, call pcAmerica at 1-800-722-6374.

Almost a year ago, Wal-Mart began asking its customers to enter their credit card’s verification number at the POS terminal to deter credit card fraud. Although this extra layer of security is usually reserved for phone or eCommerce sales where the physical card isn’t present, it’s now the rule at 4,900 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores, according to a recent article in Digital Transactions Magazine.

How does this verification code work to protect the consumer and the store?

The card verification number is used to authenticate the card in a transaction where the store representative doesn’t actually see the card itself. These codes vary from company to company, where Visa and Mastercard verification numbers are three digit codes printed on the back, American Express uses a four-digit number and has it printed on the front of the card.

It’s easy to obtain stolen credit card numbers and expiration dates through illegal channels. However, it’s far more difficult to get your hands on the verification numbers because Visa and Mastercard prohibit the “encoding” of this extra protection into the magnetic strip. The absence of this information leaves thieves vulnerable to being caught if they cannot produce the verification code at checkout.

According to the article, Wal-Mart will discontinue asking for verification codes if chip and pin cards are adopted here in the US. These cards contain an embedded microchip and are verified with a PIN number. Since chip and pin cards were introduced in France more than a decade ago, the country has reduced its instances of fraud by more than 80 percent.

Wal-Mart reports a reduction in fraudulent transactions as well, although the spokesman quoted in the article could not quantify the results.

David Gosman, CEO of pcAmerica, recently spoke to VSR Magazine about big data and loyalty programs. These loyalty programs are a far cry from the days of a punch or swipe card, today’s programs are goldmines of data and provide “real-time customer relationship analytics.” These analytics can form the basis of a marketing campaign based on shoppers’ buying habits, the frequency of their visits or their loyalty to one or more brand or products.

Gosman told VSR Magazine that improvements on the development side have made loyalty programs easier to implement than ever before. New loyalty programs are “more dynamic, with prettier graphics,” said Gosman. These loyalty interfaces are easy to learn and use and don’t require a lot of employee training.

The technology is better and big data makes these programs even more valuable to stores and restaurants, but the premise is still the same: we love free stuff and we’re not ashamed to admit it.

To keep customers coming back for more, Cash Register Express™ and Restaurant Pro Express™ offer a built-in loyalty program option that supports a variety of currencies, including points, birthday rewards and frequent visitor discounts.

Cash Register Express also integrates seamlessly with The Social Network Appreciation Platform (SNAP). SNAP allows customers to associate their social network accounts to brand loyalty programs and rewards customers with extra loyalty points in exchange for electronic endorsements. These digital endorsements, Tweeted or posted on Facebook walls, are generated automatically after the customer makes a purchase. The result is the viral sharing and promotion of a brand, which translates into increased visibility and sales.

For more information about how you can implement an interactive loyalty program that will provide you with valuable customer analytics, please call your pcAmerica representative at 1-800-722-6374 or visit snapforbusiness.com.

eCommerce is such a force to be reckoned with that now there is a name for people who look for products online and then head to the store to see them in-person and make the purchase. This is the opposite of “showrooming,” which is what we call it when people look for the product in-store only to go home and buy it online.  It only seems natural that the experts have dubbed the reverse of this—when people look online first and then buy the item in-store, “webrooming.”

About half of the people in US will admit to showrooming, but you may (or may not) be surprised to hear that nearly 70 percent of people are webroomers.

So, if higher eCommerce sales are your goal, you’ve got some work to do. First, integrate your in-store and online operations. pcAmerica’s e-commerce functionality, available in the latest version of pcAmerica’s Cash Register Express™ point of sale software, integrates web store activity with the in-store POS system. Internet orders are downloaded to Cash Register Express™ in near real time and fulfilled in-store. Shoppers may also return their purchases at the brick-and-mortar location.

This integration is important for all of the webroomers (we’re all a little guilty of this) out there. Instant gratification will continue to drive foot traffic to your store, so the ability to buy online and pick up in store is important, especially during holiday season or for items that tend to sell out quickly.

Another tactic you could take would be to target the customer while they are in the store, by sending them a coupon or product offer that would persuade them to make a purchase. Try to entice your customers based on their previous purchases and direct them towards products you think they may enjoy because they purchased similar or complimentary items in the past.

For more information about how you can make your eCommerce platform work harder for you, please contact your pcAmerica representative at 1-800-722-6374.