In a 2012 RIS News report, research found that 28% of retailers are in the process of testing tablets in their stores, and an additional 31% said that they would testing tablets this year.
Michael Koploy, ERP Analyst at http://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/ spoke with three retailers that have recently deployed point of sale (POS) solutions on the Apple iPad. They had five suggestions for retailers about to make the same investment:
1. Make a one-for-one exchange of cash registers for iPads. Because of the ease of deployment and access to extra iPads, retailers should only purchase as few tablets as they need. If retailers end up needing more tablets for the point of sale or would like additional tablets, they can easily purchase them online or at most local electronics stores.
2. Invest in Internet and wireless router upgrades. Because these tablets rely on an accurate WiFi connection, retailers should invest in an upgraded bandwidth package from a reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP). In addition, retailers should upgrade their wireless router so that the connection can meet Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards and is WPA/WPA2 encrypted.
3. Ask for assistance from resellers and mobile device management experts. These solutions are often very easy to deploy, but it is worthwhile to conduct product resellers to assist with setup and deployment when the time comes. Additionally, if retailers have multiple locations and need to connect/lock-down devices and their data, mobile device management (MDM) firms can be a big help.
4. Use the iPad to improve the customer experience. With a mobile POS solution, retailers can better service customers within the store aisles or eliminate checkout lines entirely. This provides ample upselling and cross-selling opportunity, as the negation of the physical point of purchase reduces the chance that the customer is emotionally “done” shopping.
5. Involve the customer at checkout. The retailers also suggested that others involve the customer at checkout to have customers share the experience with the iPad. One retailer noted that she commonly has customers sign and complete the transaction themselves. After the purchase is complete, customers were asked if they would like to take a picture using the iPad’s camera and share the picture on the customer’s social media channels.
For more tips from retailers, check out: 5 iPad POS Tips For Retailers, From Retailers.
Michael Koploy
ERP Analyst