The past few weeks, I introduced two blogs discussing the benefits of a mobile computer and a mobile printer in the retail industry. Now it’s time to put this information together and see where specifically a mobile point of sale (POS) solution would have the greatest benefit. Some retailers are best fit for a standalone, static POS setup, also known as a cashwrap – but others are moving into a more mobile POS-friendly market. The shift to mobile POS primarily depends on the following:
- Who the customer is
- What products are sold
- The layout of the store
- The experience the customers demand
With this in mind, here are some examples of different retail settings that could benefit from a mobile POS solution:
Home & Garden Centers
Shopping for a new 7-piece patio set? How about some new shrubs for the front yard? Home & garden centers make the perfect environment for mobile point of sale. These stores are often large and sell items that you wouldn’t normally place in a cart to bring to the checkout lane. When was the last time you saw someone put a new grill or lawn mower in their cart and bring it to the checkout lane? I hope never, because that sounds like an accident waiting to happen!
This just isn’t the type of environment where standalone checkout lanes work as well as the customers (and store) need them to. Rather than customers bringing products to the checkout, the checkout needs to be brought to the products and customer – the perfect place for a mobile computer & printer duo to get the job done.
Wholesale Clubs
Similar to home & garden centers, wholesale clubs are often large and, considering they sell products in bulk, their products can get rather large. Additionally, anyone who’s walked through a wholesale club before knows that products are stacked to the ceiling on the shelves. Wouldn’t it make more sense for an employee using the forklift to get down that unnecessarily-large bulk box of mac-n-cheese to use a mobile POS solution, such as an Intermec CK3 mobile computer paired with an Intermec PB50 mobile printer, to check out the customer on the spot?
Technology Retailers
While the first two examples focused on the size of the products sold and the store layout, tech retailers need to be focused on their customers’ experiences in the store, which calls for a bit of differentiation and innovation – hence, another perfect opportunity for a mobile POS solution. For example, customers shopping for the newest laptop may find themselves asking a series of questions as to which laptop is the right fit for them. Employees empowered by a mobile POS solution can answer any questions the customer has, check inventory for the right laptop, and checkout the customer all at once. This not only becomes particularly handy in developing customer relationships, but it can be extremely useful when the store gets busy – like during the holidays or when the latest gadget hits the shelves – to enhance the customer experience, avoid long lines, and sell more products.
What other mobile POS solution applications can you envision? Tell us on Twitter, @LTronCorp
About the author
Jason Shanley is a member of L-Tron’s content creation team. His background in communication and technology provides him the deep knowledge base required for the articles he authors. Jason can be reached at info@L-Tron.com or (800) 830-9523.