 |
News Archive |
 |
Thursday, 20 December 2007
DAYTON, Ohio · NCR Corp. has announced that its two-sided thermal receipt printing technology is now available for NCR FastLane, a leading self-checkout unit.
"NCR's introduction of 2ST for assisted-service checkouts attracted interest from retailers around the world," said Mike Webster, NCR vice president for Self-Service Solutions. "This enthusiastic reception encouraged us to quickly bring this pioneering technology to the self-service environment by offering 2ST to our NCR FastLane customers."
By printing on both sides of a receipt, retailers can reduce their paper roll needs. Because it uses less paper, the technology also requires fewer paper roll changes, which further improves availability and helps consumers finish their shopping trips faster.
RMT, Inc., a nationally recognized environmental management and engineering firm, has calculated how reduced consumption of paper rolls can help benefit the environment. A 1,000-store retail chain with four 2ST-equipped NCR FastLane units in each store and an average receipt length of 10 inches could expect to realize a 40 percent annual reduction in paper usage at self-checkout. According to RMT, this level of reduction would be a savings of more than 100 tons of paper, the equivalent of 1,067 trees.
Due to the paper savings, the use of 2ST can result in energy and diesel fuel savings, as well as reductions in landfill space, carbon dioxide emissions and wastewater generation.
"Businesses worldwide are seeking ways to reduce emissions and the consumption of natural resources while enhancing their operational efficiency," Webster said. "The use of 2ST helps contribute to these important retailer goals."
NCR's two-sided printing technology also allows retailers to customize messaging on receipts rather than relying on paper rolls with pre-printed promotions that cannot be changed. Retailers can also use 2ST to print the receipt in combinations of black on one side with black, red or blue on the other side.
With NCR FastLane, the printer is integrated into the system's cabinet. This design helps present a less cluttered and more intuitive user interface while also reducing opportunities for tampering or damage.
Friday, 14 December 2007
The (British) Press Association: Approximately two million Britons admit stealing goods when using supermarket self-scan checkouts in the past year, a survey has said. The poll for security company G4S found 7 percent of adults said they had failed to scan the barcode of an item when using the self-service facilities. The company calculated that the self-scan scam is costing retailers hundreds of millions of pounds a year.
Read more
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
FRISCO, Texas · Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. has announced that Canadian Tire will install Fujitsu's U-Scan Genesis self-checkout system at more than 100 of its 468 stores across Canada. Canadian Tire has been testing the U-Scan systems in a proof of concept that included both English- and French-language stores since October 2006. As a result, the company will begin a formal roll out of self-checkout systems in late 2007 or early 2008. This installation follows a 2005 Fujitsu roll out that replaced Canadian Tire's point-of-sale hardware with Fujitsu's TeamPoS 2000 M units.
U-Scan Genesis is the latest version of Fujitsu's U-Scan self-checkout family. Unveiled in January 2007, the enhanced system offers retailers more flexibility, scalability and reliability, Fujitsu said in a release. It features a compact footprint, and is available in 1-, 2- and 4-bag modular configurations. Fujitsu said the system is expected to expand rapidly into markets beyond the traditional grocery sector.
Monday, 08 October 2007
Supply Chain Digest: Wal-Mart, like many other retailers, is increasingly counting on customer self-service to help it reduce operating costs and maybe even reduce the time customers spend waiting to go through point-of-sale lines. Some recent visits to Wal-Mart superstores in the Ohio area indicated Wal-Mart, again like other retailers, also is battling shrinkage issues with the program.
Read more
Monday, 08 October 2007
Inside Retailing Online: While they've been a long time coming, self-service check-out points are certain to become commonplace in Australian retail outlets. A number of extensive trials and studies show shoppers are warming to the concept. One recent research study indicates that around 4 million Australians would be more likely to shop at a store that offers self-checkout facilities as opposed to ones that don't.
Read more
Friday, 05 October 2007
TalkingRetail.com: Meijer, the privately-owned Midwestern US supermarket chain, has taken self-checkout technology to a new level with the installation of self-checkout lanes for larger food shops. Meijer's new units are installed in the middle of the store's regular checkout lanes. Under the system, scanned items travel down a moving belt to the end of the checkout lane where customers can then bag them after payment has been made. Among the country's other leading grocery chains, Wal-Mart and Kmart have installed self-checkouts but Target, the market's second largest chain, is not using the technology.
Read more
Friday, 05 October 2007
The Dallas (Texas) Morning News: We've all heard that we can lose 10 pounds a year by cutting out that once-a-day can of soda or candy bar habit. But have you heard about the weight-loss tip associated with self-checkout lanes? The average American woman could lose more than 4 pounds a year by resisting the urge to purchase impulse candies, snacks and sodas at the supermarket checkout, according to a study by IHL Consulting Group.
Read more
Wednesday, 03 October 2007
The Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal: Customer-Facing Media, a maker of electronic kiosks that's targeting the supermarket industry, has bagged its first client: Supervalu Inc. The small company, founded by two brothers in 2002, reached an agreement with the grocery giant that will place its kiosks in 55 Twin Cities-area Cub Foods stores by the end of next month. After the Cub roll-out is complete, the firm expects its products to land in 543 additional stores either owned or supplied by Eden Prairie-based Supervalu. The firm hopes to have its kiosks in 2,000 stores by the end of next year.
Read more
Wednesday, 03 October 2007
The Australian: A major airline union will launch a global campaign on YouTube aimed at enlisting customer support against Qantas moves to slash the base pay of new customer service staff by more than $3,000. Union officials said the airline had argued that the introduction of self-service kiosks for passengers meant that new staff required fewer skills and were performing a different job, therefore they should be reclassified at a lower pay rate.
Read more
Monday, 01 October 2007
BOSTON · Modiv Media Inc., a provider of retail interactive media delivery solutions, has announced the launch of Modiv Shopper, Modiv DeliVision and Modiv Mobile, a multitouch platform that delivers consumer-convenient media through in-store self-service solutions and on-the-go shoppers' mobile phones. The new products enable brand marketers and retailers to connect and engage with individual consumers when they are at their "moment of decision," making it possible to create truly personalized relationships. By reaching customers at the right times and right locations, retailers and brand marketers can better influence buying behaviors and drive sales throughout the shopping experience.
"More than ever, the way shoppers shop and the way media is delivered are changing," said Robert Wesley, president and CEO of Modiv Media. "Today, 40 percent of shoppers are using self-service checkout at retail stores when available, and 240-plus million U.S. mobile phone subscribers are beginning to use their mobile phones as personal convenience devices. Reaching consumer purchasers at these touch points · and at the most critical moments - is proving to be the best way to take shopping to the next level. Modiv Media's products let brand marketers and retailers reach the target they seek and give customers relevant coupons and offers the way they want to receive it."
Modiv Media's multitouch products are designed to orchestrate relevant retail messages and improve the customer shopping experience at exactly the right moment and exactly the right place to increase brand and store loyalty:
- Modiv Shopper offers truly relevant consumer-driven media and retail operational efficiencies through a time-saving scan-and-bag handheld for shoppers. As shoppers walk through the store aisles with their own personal shopper handheld, they also save money with the targeted offers and advertisements based on their shopping history, redemption history, in-store location tracking and just-purchased items.
- Modiv DeliVision enhances the deli customer experience and increases deli revenue with a solution that combines queue optimization, convenient self-service deli-kiosk ordering and targeted marketing. By consolidating electronic and in-person deli counter lines and orders, retailers improve operational efficiencies while customers receive additional promotions and options to fulfill their deli orders in a timely and cost-effective manner, leading to better customer satisfaction.
- Modiv Mobile influences brand shopping decisions by delivering relevant information and promotions to on-the-go shoppers' mobile phones via opt-in campaigns and personalized offers. Delivering targeted and relevant alerts, coupons and promotions to customers' mobile phones help increase store sales and traffic while building strong one-to-one relationships.
Monday, 10 September 2007
FRANKLIN, Tenn. · IHL Consulting Group has released its 2007 North American Self-Checkout Systems Market Study, which focuses on statistics of self-checkout purchases from a user's perspective. The study, now in its seventh year, is based on information gathered during a survey of 1,000 North American respondents.
Some key findings of the report include:
- 98 percent of all respondents have used self-checkout.
- In 2006, consumers spent more than $137 billion on self-checkout transactions at retailers, up 24 percent from 2005, namely because of increased usage in supercenters, warehouse clubs and DIY stores.
- 44 percent of respondents say they really like self-checkout. Only 9 percent say they will not use the technology.
Click here for more information.
Wednesday, 05 September 2007
RALIEGH, N.C. · IBM has announced that it has teamed with Man-Dell Food Stores to deploy new IBM Scan-and-Bag and point-of-sale technology in five Key Food locations the company owns in the New York City area.
Man-Dell replaced NCR ScanMaster systems with new IBM SurePOS 700 Series systems running the IBM 4690 operating system, and later added the powerful new "Scan-and-Bag" self-checkout terminals from IBM.
"IBM Self Checkout offers customers a faster, more reliable and more flexible shopping experience," said Scott Schubert, MIS director of Man-Dell Food Stores. "We estimate that 28 percent of our shoppers now use self-checkout on a daily basis, which proves that busy shoppers want a speedy 'in and out' experience, without dealing with long lines."
Wednesday, 05 September 2007
SignonSanDiego.com: Patrons at Oceanside's Civic Center public library could be checking out their own books · using self-service machines · in February. The library has the $120,000 needed to buy five machines and 29,000 RFID tags that make the self-checkout system work, but it needs $80,000 for 215,000 more tags.
Read more
Wednesday, 05 September 2007
Seattlepi.com: A man was in line at a self-service checkout stand at The Home Depot on Utah Avenue South in Seattle on Thursday, ready to buy a pry bar and a hacksaw, according to a Seattle police report. But, as a manager told an officer, the man accidentally hit the button on the computer screen for Spanish. That was the tipping point for this consumer. So, instead of asking for help, he let loose a blow with the pry bar and shattered the computer.
Read more
Saturday, 25 August 2007
The Detroit (Mich.) Free Press: Within a few minutes, Howell (Mich.) High School junior Liana Grimes bought a fresh deli sandwich for lunch in a new store concept inside the school that lets students serve themselves. Grimes selected food from an open cooler along the wall of the store. Each item is tagged with radio frequency identification, and self-service check-out kiosks read the tags and accept payments, eliminating the need for cashiers.
Read more
Thursday, 09 August 2007
The (New Zealand) National Business Review: If you find it embarrassing buying libido-enhancing vitamins, hemorrhoid cream, incontinence products and condoms, you are not alone. A new survey commissioned by NCR Corp. has found those items to rank at the top of the purchase-embarrassment charts. The company says fear of the checkout operator's stare is going to help drive the uptake of its new generation of self-service checkout systems.
Read more
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
MSNBC.com: Personal scanners on shopping carts are being found in more high-end grocers in the U.S. Patrons scan items as they go and check-out by scanning a barcode produced by the mini-kiosk at self-checkout units.
Read more
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
BOSTON · Mercator Advisory Group's new report, "Retail Self-Checkout: Providing Options for Merchants and Consumers," compares primary retail self-checkout methods, self-checkout lanes and in-aisle checkout, focusing on the ability of checkout and scanning to deliver promotional information and other value-added services.
"In the United States, we continue to see interest in self-checkout, from both consumers and retailers," said Melanie Broad, an analyst at Mercator and principal analyst of the report. "For customers, the choice of self-checkout or attended checkout lanes returns some measure of control over either convenience or speed. For 'single basket' shoppers, avoiding long lines and shoppers with large baskets is a priority. For merchants, the ability to consistently deliver a quick checkout experience will continue to impact customer loyalty and customer satisfaction."
The report discusses some of the drawbacks and issues surrounding self-checkout solutions. It also explains some of the drivers toward self-service implementations.
Other report highlights include:
- A review of the use UPC codes (barcodes) and EPC (RFID) in self-checkout solutions
- Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of both self-checkout lanes and in-aisle self-checkout solutions
- A review of vendors, NCR Corp., IBM, Cuesol and Fujitsu
- Discussion of consumer demographics around self-checkout and an examination of the benefits and drawbacks of self-checkout to consumers
- Discussion of the merchant-value proposition around self-checkout as well as an examination of the benefits and drawbacks of deploying self-checkout systems
For more information click here.
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
PADERBORN, Germany·The Saturn store in Ingolstadt is the first consumer electronics retail store in Europe to install self-checkout systems from Wincor Nixdorf. Customers can scan and pay for purchases at one of four self-checkout stations.
Self-checkout systems are part of Wincor Nixdorf's total solution concept for automating the checkout process.
The Saturn installation runs the TPiSCAN software from Wincor Nixdorf, to which the POS application that Saturn developed in-house was adapted. Saturn has more than 120 stores in Germany and more than 175 in eight European countries, making it one of the leading consumer electronics retailers in Europe.
The introduction of the new self-checkout systems in the Ingolstadt store is an important step in strengthening the company's profile as a future-oriented specialty retailer.
"With these new self-checkout stations, we're offering our customers an attractive alternative to traditional staffed checkouts, although naturally we'll continue to offer those as well" said Wolfgang Hawlitschek, managing director at the Ingolstadt Saturn store. "We assume that our customers, many of whom are very interested in technological innovation, will be open to this new approach to checking out."
Saturn chose Wincor Nixdorf's Scan&Bag solution, which was developed especially for customers with smaller purchases. An integrated hand-scanner allows larger items to be scanned.
"Self-service solutions are a sensible addition to staffed checkouts in many types of stores, not just grocery retailing," said Joachim Pinhammer, director of retail marketing at Wincor Nixdorf. "We have developed automated checkout solutions for a variety of retail formats, including home improvement stores, mail-order companies, and now consumer electronics. Self-checkout can be adapted to the specific requirements of many different retail segments."
Wednesday, 09 May 2007
FRISCO, Texas · Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. has announced plans to develop the next release of its GlobalSTORE POS software. Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover has signed an agreement to collaborate with Fujitsu to develop and deploy the new software.
The GlobalSTORE application is a customizable POS and cash-management solution. While GlobalSTORE has been successful for grocers in Europe and Japan, Fujitsu says the new software will offer extended capabilities required by North American grocers.
According to a news release, the North American version of GlobalSTORE will include additional advanced-user interfaces, simplified integration and technology based on Microsoft.NET.
Thursday, 03 May 2007
FRISCO, Texas · Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. announced the U-Scan Genesis family of self-checkout systems has completed live retail trial testing.
New features of the U-Scan include a high capacity, more compact footprint, ATM-style LED lighting, a more intuitive customer interface, bill and coin accepting/dispensing units, multi-item scanning, Fujitsu's F53 bill dispensing unit, coin hopper or coin canister dispensing units and the Fujitsu TeamPoS 3000 terminal, which is designed to withstand high-volume checkout environments.
U-Scan Genesis will be available in one-, two- and four-bag, multi-lane payment station and kiosk configurations. U-Scan Genesis can be configured with or without a cashier attendant station. Carousel and belted versions will be available in late 2007 and early 2008.
Tuesday, 01 May 2007
Cbs4.com: Miami Dade Library system plans to install its own version of self-checkout lanes. Once in place, anyone with a Miami-Dade County library account will be able to take advantage of the new Express Checkout System. Through the new system, all library users in good standing can scan their cards and check out on their own.
Read more
Monday, 16 April 2007
ONTARIO, Canada · NCR Corp. and The Home Depot announced a continued effort to roll out NCR's FastLane self-checkout system across Canada.
In June 2005, The Home Depot began installing NCR FastLane in new and existing stores in Canada to improve front-end operations, improve the customer experience and give shoppers added checkout options. Since then, the retailer has maintained an aggressive rollout schedule. As of the first quarter this year, 136 of its 155 Canadian stores had been equipped with FastLane technology.
A national Ipsos Reid poll conducted for NCR in December 2005 found 44 percent of Canadian consumers would choose self-checkout when shopping. The Home Depot Canada reports that at stores where NCR FastLane has been installed, an average of 35 percent of all transactions are taking place at the self-checkout lanes.
"When customers shop at The Home Depot, they come for great service, expert know-how, and a wide variety of choices," said Annette Verschuren, president of The Home Depot Canada. "Self-checkouts provide them with yet another choice. By combining traditional, full-service checkout with self-service lanes, we're able to speed up the checkout process, and also enhance overall customer service by moving associates onto the store floor where they can provide further value-add service and expertise."
Monday, 02 April 2007
A feature in the Kansas City Star profiles local shoppers and their experiences with self-checkout as it begins to grow more popular. Also included are stats, facts and survey results about self-checkout from IHL Consulting group.
Read the article here.
Thursday, 05 October 2006
The Register: The United Kingdom consumer group Which? is reporting security shortcomings in Tesco's self-checkout systems that appear to make it easier to pay for groceries using stolen debit or credit cards.
At around 200 of the supermarket's stores, shoppers can scan their shopping items themselves before paying for groceries using cards. The problem is that Tesco doesn't require customers to sign for purchases or enter a PIN code.
Read more
Friday, 18 August 2006
PC Pro: Technology analyst Jon Honeyball is excited about the impending wave of supermarket self-service, which will usher in an era of hand-held price scanners and cart-at-a-time checkout gateways. These new devices will bring with them new kinds of social engineering and "per-person, per-shop pricing and decision manipulation."
"Now, with my Captain Kirk laser zapper, the device goes bloopety bloop when I scan in something that has a 'two for one' or some other offer," he writes. "And you know, I'm tempted to just pop in that extra item, because it's a saving, isn't it? Naturally, I'm being socially engineered. "It wants me to buy more of that tooth-rotting fizzy drink, so offers me a bargain."
Read more
Thursday, 10 August 2006
CRM Buyer: NCR Corp. and Novell have announced a global agreement to offer Novell Linux Point of Service on NCR RealPOS retail point-of-sale terminals. The agreement between Novell and NCR makes a secure, reliable software platform and hardware combination available for retailers deploying Linux-based POS solutions. NCR's plans call for offering Novell Linux Point of Service on NCR EasyPoint kiosks and NCR FastLane self-checkouts in the future.
Read more
Thursday, 10 August 2006
CRM Buyer: NCR Corp. and Novell have announced a global agreement to offer Novell Linux Point of Service on NCR RealPOS retail point-of-sale terminals. The agreement between Novell and NCR makes a secure, reliable software platform and hardware combination available for retailers deploying Linux-based POS solutions. NCR's plans call for offering Novell Linux Point of Service on NCR EasyPoint kiosks and NCR FastLane self-checkouts in the future.
Read more
Wednesday, 26 July 2006
Storefront Backtalk: In what's been called the self-checkout diet plan, retailers are learning the unintended consequences of self-checkout systems as they see sales of candy, Hollywood tabloids, batteries and other checkout-lane impulse items plummet.
"Things like chewing gum and breath mints, chocolate candy, chips and salty snacks, soda and water " we're seeing a tremendous change there, drops of 40 percent overall from people who say they buy it in a standard lane but do not buy it in a self-checkout lane," said Greg Buzek of IHL Consulting. "Retailers have to factor those impulse items in when they do an ROI calculation for self-checkout. They are typically using labor savings or moving labor around in the store as a primary reason for justifying self-checkout but (they) also need to factor in the merchandising sales. There's a fundamental change happening in the front-end of the check-out line when self-checkout is implemented."
Read more
Wednesday, 12 July 2006
EAST EARL, Pa. - In an indication of the growing acceptance of self-checkout technology on the consumer landscape, next month Amish shoppers at community-based independent Shady Maple Farm Market will be able to check out their own groceries before heading home in their buggy.
Read more.
Friday, 30 June 2006
ePaynews: U.K. grocery chain Tesco expects to chip-and-PIN-enable its self-checkouts in the wake of competitors Sainsbury's, Waitrose and M&S, whose in-store self-checkouts are already EMV-compliant. Until now, Tesco customers have used the store's self-checkouts without keying a PIN or signing for transactions. If any fraudulent card transactions occur at its self-service kiosks before then, Tesco is liable for the costs, even if other security measures are used to compensate for the lack of EMV security.
Read more
Thursday, 22 June 2006
PADERBORN · Customers at the Edeka store in Unterhaching near Munich, which uses Beetle iScan self-scanning equipment, regard the technology very favorably as indicated by a study commissioned by Visual Merchandising Initiative e. V., which polled 150 customers in April 2006.
Wincor Nixdorf equipped the Edeka Simmel store in Unterhaching, Munich, with the latest checkout technology in November 2005. In this installation, the scanning and payment processes are kept separate, with twelve fixed-location self-scanning units located ahead of six ePOS systems.
The specific results were: 73 percent prefer the self-scanning solution to a traditional checkout. Seventy percent of those asked said handling the self-scanning solution offered an enhanced experience factor, and 64 percent said waiting time had reduced. Half of all customers thought the new technology enhanced customer service, and over 80 percent said scanning their own goods offered more privacy. Especially interesting: older customers have a higher affinity to technology than younger ones, with 82 percent of over-50's preferring the new-style checkout as opposed to 69 percent of the under-50 age group.
"The study shows that the new technologies are accepted by customers within a very short period of time when familiarized them by service personnel," said Joachim Pinhammer, head of marketing at Wincor Nixdorf.
Two different configurations of fixed-location self-scanners from the Beetle/iScan family are being deployed in the Edeka store: four so-called Scan&Bag solutions where goods can be packed directly into bags, and eight Scan&Pass systems where purchases are scanned and then placed onto a conveyor belt with customers then paying at any one of six checkouts. At the self-scanning systems, service personnel are on hand to help customers scan their goods and familiarize them with the new technology. There are plans to introduce self-service for the payment process in future as well, using special payment terminals.
In addition to the self-scanning equipment, the Unterhaching store features other innovative technologies such as self-service weighing scales with optical product recognition, a reverse vending system (for empty bottles and cans) and a so-called "Vensafe" to protect especially theft-prone items. These technologies were also evaluated by customers. Asked to give ratings between 1 (good) and 6 (bad), the statistical mean score by all customers for all the systems mentioned was 1.78.
Wincor Nixdorf's store software TP.net is being used to run the checkout systems and control all the technologies in use at the store. TP.net provides full functionality for controlling different technologies in stores, including the "Revendo 8000" reverse vending solution which has also been integrated into the in-store IT environment.
Wednesday, 14 June 2006
stuff.co.nz: Moorhouse Pak 'n' Save is the first supermarket in New Zealand to trial four self-checkouts, which allow customers with 12 items or less to scan, pack and pay for their groceries without using the regular checkout system.
First-timers are guided through the process by a visual-audio display. All methods of payment can be used, except a cheque. Change is given, and the system can also be used as an automatic teller machine.
Thursday, 01 June 2006
ATLANTA, Ga. — Soon, even more shoppers at Germany's Real hypermarkets and Extra superstores will hear familiar sounds as they scan, bag and pay for their own purchases. The self-checkout units, from NCR Corporation are being programmed to speak French, Turkish and Russian, in addition to German and English.
"We recognize that some of our customers do not speak German as their native language," said Markus Jablonski, public relations manager for Extra. "With this development, we will now offer a new standard of service in our stores. We want all consumers to feel comfortable and optimally served, regardless of language, and — ultimately — to become loyal Real or Extra customers."
Following extensive testing in a store in Eschborn, near Frankfurt, conversion of the complete menu structure of NCR FastLane to the five languages is currently in progress in approximately 50 Real and Extra locations. NCR FastLane is the only self-checkout offering consumers such an extensive choice of languages.
"In a coalescing Europe, multilingualism in customer service is a matter of course," said Ulrich Hieber, director of NCR's Retail Solutions Division in Germany. "Innovative technical solutions can help make this happen, providing an additional customer benefit that complements traditional dialogue between staff and customers."
Friday, 03 February 2006
More and more food retailers are intending to install self-checkout systems. According to a survey by the Cologne-based European Retail Institute (EHI) as many as 10% of all businesses have already had some experience of using this technology, and over 30% are planning to implement it in the near future.
At the "Checkout Revolution" symposium held at WincorWorld 2006, representatives from French retailer Auchan and the Belgian retail group Delhaize reported on their experience of testing this technology.
Auchan Group, 84% of whose shares are family-owned, operates 365 hypermarkets and 654 supermarkets in 11 countries. Since the beginning of last year, Auchan has replaced one fast-checkout (for baskets of up to 10 items) in each of six French outlets with a specially designed self-checkout from Wincor Nixdorf.
According to IT Business Manager Alain Boissieres, the test results are highly positive, with the systems available for customer use during 95% of opening hours. In a survey, 90% of customers testing the self-checkout for the first time said they would want to continue using the system. Checkout personnel, who are now used to monitor the process and help customers use the equipment, value the "higher status" they enjoy vis-a -vis customers in their new role. And for Auchan itself, the system produces a reduction in operating costs of around 20%. After the successful testing the next 18 months will see a further 30 Auchan stores being equipped with self-checkouts. In parallel with this, says Boissieres, they are on the look-out for solutions with a view to deploying the technology for larger purchase volumes as well.
Even during the early 90's, Delhaize began installing self-checkouts in its US supermarkets. Today, over 100 US outlets use this equipment. In all, the Belgian retailer runs 2,636 stores, most of them in the US and Central Europe, but also in southeast Asia. This self-scanning pioneer started experimenting in Europe in 1997, and now around 50 stores are equipped with two different systems: mobile scanning, involving customers picking up a portable radio-frequency hand-scanner on the way in and the data being transferred from the mobile hand-scanner to the ePOS software at the checkout, and a second, stationary version called "Quick Shopper" tailored specially for purchases of up to 10 items. Here, the customer uses a fixed-location scanner station beside the checkout before paying. Luc Koenot, Vice President IT Europe at Delhaize Group, is very happy with the level of customer acceptance of this system, with an average of 20% (and in some stores up to 40%) of sales being checked out via the two self-scanning systems.
Other retailers, too, are testing this technology. Marco Atzberger from the European Retail Institute pointed out clearly in his talk that installation of self-checkout systems needs meticulous preparation. Indeed, only a precise analysis relating to the specific location concerned enables the relevant optimum mix of traditional checkouts and automated systems to be pinpointed.
In this regard, the institute has worked with Wincor Nixdorf to develop a methodology which provides a reliable bank of information and data to underpin checkout investment decisions and safeguard the user's interests. It essentially comprises an extensive analysis of individual location-related factors, optimization of the quantity and type of checkout stations required and design of the hardware configuration.
Joachim Pinhammer, Marketing Manager for Wincor Nixdorf's Retail Division says, "An intelligent, tailored combination of traditional checkouts and self-scanning terminals augmented by systems which add extra speed to the payment process — that's what tomorrow's checkout zone looks like".
Monday, 16 January 2006
ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2006--Two new SelfCheck Systems from 3M make their first appearance in booth 1256 at the 2006 American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Conference on Jan. 20-23 in San Antonio, Texas.
Debuting are the SelfCheck System C-Series for material check-in and the SelfCheck System R-Series for material checkout and check-in. Both systems use the power of radio frequency identification (RFID) to help improve materials management, further simplify library self-service transactions, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.
Features of SelfCheck System C-Series for material check-in include:
- Realtime check-in enabled by accurate read of RFID tags that instantly records returned items and lets customers immediately checkout new items.
- Simple-to-use 3M Digital Library Assistant connection to help speed sorting and return of in-demand items to the shelves.
- UL-listed equipment that complies with state and local regulations.
- Web-based monitoring and diagnostic capabilities that let administrators remotely troubleshoot systems to quickly resolve situations such as a printer out of paper or an offline circulation system.
Features of the SelfCheck System R-Series for checkout and check-in include:
- Accurate read of RFID tags placed on items to provide fast and efficient self-checkout of all library materials.
- Simple instructions and an easy-use touch screen that delivers a high success rate to first-time self-checkout users.
- UL-listed equipment that complies with state and local regulations.
- Web-based monitoring and diagnostic capabilities that allow administrators to troubleshoot systems from any location.
- Selectable check-in method that empowers the customer to process materials for check-in.
"In addition, all SelfCheck Systems now notify library staff by e-mail when printer paper is low, and offer customers the choice of either a paper or e-mail receipt at checkout," said Rory Yanchek, business manager, 3M Library Systems. "We're proud to add to our already robust line of customizable library solutions. Our new systems and features make it easier for libraries to choose systems to meet their distinctive needs and easily migrate from one system to another as their needs change."
A global leader in library innovation for more than 30 years, 3M provides security, productivity and information management solutions that harness technology to free librarians to spend more time doing what they love - helping people. 3M also partners with libraries to support their technological advancement and ensure their success through numerous industry sponsorships and programs. For more information about the 3M Library Systems solutions, visit http://www.3M.com/us/library or call 1-800-253-6845.
About 3M - A Global, Diversified Technology Company
Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing things happen. Wherever they are, whatever they do, the company's customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M's brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti. Serving customers in more than 200 countries around the world, the company's 69,000 people use their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets including consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services; health care; industrial and transportation. For more information, including the latest product and technology news, visit www.3M.com.
3M, SelfCheck, Tattle-Tape, Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti are trademarks of 3M.
|
