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Kiosk center to offer one-stop shop at retail show

Retail decision makers will flock to Retail Systems 2003 in Chicago June 9-12 to find the latest technology for their stores. This year, kiosk and self-service vendors will be together in one area on the floor to help those retail buyers see the big, interactive picture.

May 22, 2003

Retail decision makers will flock to Retail Systems 2003 in Chicago June 9-12 to find the latest technology for their stores. This year, kiosk and self-service vendors will be together in one area on the floor to help those retail buyers see the big, interactive picture.

The Kiosk and Self-Service Center, presented by show developers and Kiosks.org Association, will highlight the benefits of integrating kiosks into the store environment. The founding sponsor is Intel Corp. MEI is the supporting sponsor. Other exhibitors include Corporate Safe, Cyphermint Inc., Epson America Inc., Kiosk Magazine, MarCole Enterprises Inc., Micro Industries, Netkey Inc., Partner Tech USA, and USNet. Besides exhibits, the center will have its own free sessions and executive panels.

Dick Good, chairman of the Kiosks.org Association, said, "We are very pleased to be working with the people at the Retail Systems show to bring about something special for everyone involved."

"Through the new self-service pavilion, our members have a grouping of self-service offerings all in one location in the exhibit hall and special presentations that will draw extra attention. Our participating members will meet a number of decision makers and influencers in the retail industry."

Micro Industries gets big and small

Michael Curran, CEO of hardware company Micro Industries, has high expectations for Retail Systems, and for a resurgence in the kiosk industry, in general. "If the initial response is any indication, we expect the show to be very successful. We have already gotten a large number of requests for meetings at the pavilion.

"The major thing I hate about trade shows is trying to figure out where to go for my specific needs," he said. "I'm enthusiastic about the kiosk pavilion because it is a good way to promote the capabilities needed to support interactive requirements at retail."

Curran said that grouping people together with a common interest is a powerful way to attract buyers. Micro Industries will debut a 30-inch LCD display unit at the show.

Curran claimed that the display screen, developed with partner Sharp Electronics, is the largest interactive screen in the market. Micro Industries has developed applications to show attendees how to use the display to attract attention in the retail setting.

While the new display is large, Micro Industries actually focuses on small form-factor displays that retailers can use with customers and staff. The interactive screen can be suspended or wall mounted. "The demand in retail is for devices that don't consume large areas. They must be approachable, non-intimidating and high-end," said Curran.

The company is also touting its use of the Intel-developed ATX standard announced at last year's Retail Systems show. The standard allows customers to expand their current interactive systems as technology becomes more sophisticated.

According to Curran, the biggest issue in the kiosk market concerns the use of numerous peripherals that require a large number of network cards. He said that this situation increases the size of the kiosk footprint, and leads to potential reliability problems. Micro specializes in consolidating networking onto a single motherboard.

MEI CashFlow coin acceptor

MEI accepts no substitutes

MEI is looking to the Retail Systems show as an opportunity for growth. The company will feature in the pavilion its newest coin acceptor and bill acceptor products, which boast complex algorithms to combat counterfeit currency (see related article, "MEI launches coin acceptor for kiosks").

Fiona Naughton, global marketing manager, retail, for MEI, said, "For us, the pavilion offers a chance to extend our reach into the heart of retail. We can talk with the right people who are looking at making decisions on retail technology."

She said the pavilion helps send a clear message to retailers: "The kiosk community is trying to make your research easier for you by bringing us together."

Naughton said she expects there will be a lot of sharing about what works well and what doesn't in specific deployments.

She also said Retail Systems will provide her company with an education. "We will be able to learn retailers' priorities; what they talk about in their boardrooms."

Partner Tech's standalone kiosk

Partner Tech USA's perfect attendance

David Brooks, director of sales and marketing for Partner Tech USA, said retailers are interested in the "click" side of their businesses, not just bricks and mortar. "They are trying to figure out the best of both worlds, and kiosks come up a lot in that discussion."

Partner Tech will display in the pavilion a standalone kiosk based on the company's PT4100 integrated terminal.

Partner Tech specializes in small kiosks used in attended areas, such as in a medical clinic, where patients check in, check their bills, and make appointments.

"If people came to our booth before and didn't say they were interested in kiosks, we wouldn't know. This year, since they are visiting the kiosk pavilion, we'll know for sure what they are after."

MarCole's do-it-yourself registry

Dann Wade, vice president of sales and strategic development at MarCole, said, "Self service is a key channel for retailers. It's a fact of life, not a luxury." He said that usually, attendees need a map to find the providers they're interested in. "The pavilion will be a focal point for new announcements in the industry."

For its part, MarCole will be announcing a developer kit for its established Gift RegistryWorks software.

Wade said, "This is a strong leap forward for retailers who have the tough decision of who is going to build and manage their apps. This developer kit will let companies leverage their own IT departments."

Wade said it would cost a retailer about $50,000 to buy the kit and build a lab of user requirements. He claimed that it would cost a retailer under $100,000 to get to the proof-of-concept stage with a gift-registry kiosk - about one-fifth the cost of using a full-service vendor.

"We address the problem of short-term gain without sacrificing technology," said Wade. The kit includes pre-designed templates for GUIs.

Advanced Cash Control System welcome screen

Corporate Safe's check-out strategy

Edward McGunn, president, Corporate Safe Specialists, said it will be important for his company to be in the Kiosk and Self-Service Center.

"We are introducing the concept of cash management along with self-checkout," he said. "It will be significant to retailers if we can help them address the 2-percent internal loss they experience every day."

Corporate Safe is showing its Advanced Cash Control System, which pairs a smart safe with a self check-out kiosk.

"Now, when an employee goes into the kiosk to change the paper, cash is within inches of his head," said McGunn. "Cash management is something retailers have to deal with."

He said that his system uses a JCM recycler, putting the pay point and change point in one unit. "Cash is non-accessible, which means no more internal losses and no armed robbery," said McGunn.

He said, "I'm really excited about the `wow' factor at Retail Systems."

Good pointed out that the combination of vendors in the Kiosk and Self-Service Center will be a benefit for attendees. He added, "And the show will benefit from having more of our fine member companies participating. This initiative is a winner for everyone."