Point Of Sale in the store of the future
There is much talk about the store of the future and what this store might look like and how it will operate. Will it be a self-service store that only has self-checkout points and no staff? Will all the store signage take on the form of holograms and virtual displays? The list is as long as your imagination.
The one change that’s certain is that the term Point Of Sale, or POS will take on a completely new meaning. POS is no longer about the actual till, or the physical hardware that goes with it. On the contrary it encompasses the whole shopping experience from the moment a consumer enters a store to the time they leave.
In the store of the future, POS is everything from the digital sign promoting a special on tinned fruit to the electronic labels on the shelves and the method customers’ use to checkout and pay for goods. This is because the lines between activities like Point Of Sale and in-store promotions have blurred as technology progresses.
For example, on the POS systems of today, retailers can change the prices at a till point, which then automatically update prices on all their electronic shelf labels and digital signage. That R5 discount on apples promoted on the digital sign above the fruit counter can be changed to a R10 discount in minutes.
The decision to discount the apples is made so easily because the dispatch computer at the retailer’s warehouse alerted the POS system that a new truck load of apples is on its way to the store and calculates that a R10 discount is applicable in order to move the product off the shelf and make space for the new delivery.
While POS will form an essential part of the store of the future, it’s important for retailers to choose a POS system wisely. This means investing in a system that has maintenance and back up support, especially in countries that have minimal resources in this regard. It’s also important to choose a product that can be easily integrated into a retailer’s IT system, allowing for software updates and easy upkeep.
The store of the future will transform the way consumers shop and alter their perceptions about shopping with POS being at the forefront of these changes.
Wendy Smith
Please feel free to make comments or raise new issues by |
|
|
|
new products · brand activity · liqour · jobs · events
|
|
|
|
|
Download hi-res images for free
|
|
|
Sign up for this newsletter
|
|
|
Browse FMCG brands by category
|
|
|
Read category analysis reports
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you know?
|
Fastmoving provides a full data support (brand catalogues) and hi-res packshot database for retailers and all categories of FMCG brands. Hi-res images in our database can be downloaded free of charge.
If you’d like find out more about these business services, please email your name, company name, address and contact number to us and we’ll get in touch with you.
|
|
What's happening at fastmoving.co.za?
|
Make your brand’s packaging interactive
FMCG brands listed on fastmoving.co.za can send recipes to us, which we’ll load on fastmoving.co.za and generate a QR code, for use on product packaging. See an example of a published recipe, here. To find out more, please email us .
Jobs in FMCG and retail
Are you looking to advertise a job in retail or a position in an FMCG company? If you’re currently a client of fastmoving (i.e. your service page or brand catalogue is currently listed on our portal), we have the facility to list retail and FMCG job ads. If you’re not currently a client, but are interested in listing a job, please contact us .
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Economic News
|
Wholesale sales reflect buoyant consumption growth
The latest data release from Statistics South Africa shows growth in wholesale trade sales remained robust during December 2011. Wholesale trade sales at constant prices increased to 6.1% year on year (y/y) in December, after slowing down to 5.8% y/y in November 2011.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brand Activity
|
Dentyne and Brutal Fruit – passed their glam on!
This past weekend thousands of ladies attended one of the most glamourous events of the year, Brutal Fruit Glam Camp and it truly was a fabulous affair! Held at Casalinga in Muldersdrift, JHB.
|
|
Huggies nappies give a Much Needed Helping Hand
Huggies® understands the ups and downs of being a parent, the rollercoaster ride which is associated with the wonders of looking after a baby. The rollercoaster becomes even more unpredictable when looking after 20 children or more and this is something that is very real in South Africa.
|
|
The future of coffee and tea has arrived
Ciro Beverage Solutions' (Ciro) experiential event, the Coffee Innovations Carousel, launched in the second week of February 2012, highlighted that coffee and tea are no longer just beverages, but sensory experiences.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Featured Brands
|
 |
Aloclair
Aloclair offers safe, effective and speedy relief from mouth ulcers and minor oral lesions. It forms a protective film over the nerve endings exposed by the ulcer, reducing discomfort when eating, drinking or talking. Aloclair gets to work within minutes and lasts for up to six hours
|
 |
Dentyl Active
Dentyl Active is an alcohol-free two phase mouthwash that is clinically proven to combat bad breath. Simply shake to activate, then swish and gargle. Dentyl Active attracts, lifts and absorbs the bacteria and debris that cause bad breath. When you rinse you’ll see what has been removed in the sink – visible proof that Dentyl Active really works.
|
|
|
Liquor News
|
Distell delivers strong first-half results
Good global sales growth and a more favourable exchange rate served to boost Distell’s year-on-year operating profit by 22,4% for the six months to December 31, 2011. Revenue for the period grew 15,9% to R8,0 billion on a total sales volume increase of 10,2%.
|
|
Distilleria Bottega's love for the environment
Bibano, Treviso - Italy. The respect for the environment has always been one of the most important Distilleria Bottega’s commitments. The company has implemented numerous “green” practices to reduce the winery’s carbon footprint and to maintain the integrity of the land upon which it so deeply relies.
|
|
Zonnebloem oldies still tops
Zonnebloem recently lined up some of its prized vintage wines for a tasting by wine writers and the current generation of families who have been supplying grapes to the brand over many decades.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Featured Retail Services
|
The Alternative Consultancy
The Alternative Consultancy (TAC) was established in 1988, to bridge the communications and marketing gap between major manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods and township consumers and traders. TAC is now considered to be South Africa’s leading company in terms of knowledge and experience of township marketing.
|
 |
Prismaflex
Prismaflex has over 20 years of Indoor & Outdoor Advertising solutions under its belt. Presently operating on 5 continents, Prismaflex is able to offer the most complete range of products for the POP, signage & digital printing imaginable.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recruitement Services
|
Strategy Recruitment Marketing
Strategy Recruitment Marketing is focused on providing tailor-made, alternative recruitment solutions that are based on out-the-box strategic and creative thinking, detailed processes, and keeping abreast of the latest recruitment practices and technology through understanding each client´s critical success factors, to produce impactful results cost-effectively.
|
 |
Nicolene Di Bartolo
Leadership is action... not position! Business Leaders engage our services to identify individuals who will elevate their organisations to new heights. It is our mission to source exceptional talent in mid-to executive management levels across all job categories. We support these extraordinary individuals in furthering their careers.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Featured Client
|
|
|
|
Active Clients
|
|
|
|
