Mobile POS and Bar Code Reading from VeriFone
New York NY January 10th, 2011 – NRF 2011 VeriFone demonstrated their new mobile POS device – called PAYware Mobile Enterprise – a handy cellphone-sized point-of-sale (POS) terminal that not only reads credit cards, but bar codes as well.
The PAYware model that I had a chance to view and try was designed around an Apple iPhone which was in the center of the small handheld unit. The handheld unit contained both a bar code image reader – capable of decoding both 1D and 2D bar codes - and a credit card magnetic stripe reader.
A POS transaction was rung from start to finish very quickly. My credit card was scanned and then I signed my name on the touchscreen and a receipt was emailed to me. The transaction was actually faster than being at a register and I think that not having to wait for the receipt to print out was a big part of that.
VeriFone – a leader in payment technology – is quite concerned about the security of the credit card data.Since the card data can be transmitted either through WiFi or over a phone line, encryption is absolutely vital. The VeriFone unit does that encryption before transmission. VeriFone reports that integration is in process with software products from IBM, SAP and Oracle.
VeriFone also displayed and demonstrated a Near Field Communications phone with one of their terminals – showing how quickly and easily transactions could be completed, and how funds could be placed on the phone. It was very impressive and left this writer wondering how long it will take his carrier (Sprint) to put this capability into the new HTC Evo 4G that he recently bought and loves.
Some of the advantages of mobile POS technology include:
Out-of-store sales: Take your POS terminal to the parking lot, the field, the farmers market or the curb. Ring up customers everywhere! They don't even have to get out of their vehicles.
Line busting – reducing checkout time for customers by being able to cost effectively enable additional points of purchase within the store.
Coolness – I can see that there will be a “hipness” factor to this technology when the twenty-something clerk finishes helping you shop and then whips out his tiny mobile POS station and proceeds to ring you out in just a moment. Customers “sign” the receipt on the mobile touch screen and an invoice is emailed instantly.
Consultative selling – not only can the unit ring sales, but a sales clerk can check inventory levels without disappearing into the backroom for 20 minutes.
Loyalty program development – while a client is having an enjoyable shopping experience it will be easier to get her to provide an email address for notification of future programs.
A more humanizing experience - standing side by side with a sales clerk who is giving me 100% of their attention while taking my money is a more enjoyable experience than being separated by a three foot wide retail counter and facing them head-on.
In summary, the whole mobile POS experience is way more pleasant than waiting on a checkout line and as a consumer I look forward to widespread adoption of the technology.
For more articles on Mobile POS technology visit www.Pointofsale.com
Other articles you may enjoy on mobile bar code technology can be found here : Barcode.com- Mobile Bar Code News