News & Media From Elliot Maras

2019 Kiosk Market Census Report reports record growth in 2018

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The industry's growth in 2018 was driven largely by factors cited in last year's report — rising mobile commerce and Internet of Things technology — but the…

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Soho accessories store entices Valentine’s Day shoppers with jewelry kiosk

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Marla Aaron, a jewelry designer, developed a vending kiosk to sell jewelry, which has generated interest in a museum, a hotel garden and now a women's…

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KFC plans kiosks for 5,000 restaurants by 2020

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

David Gibbs, president and chief operating officer of KFC’s parent company, Yum Brands, said the goal is to have 5,000 restaurants with kiosks by 2020.

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China is retailing’s future: Unattended stores, walletless buying and automated warehouses

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

E-commerce is driving automation on all fronts in China: purchasing; delivery; and supply chain logistics. Artificial intelligence is also driving change.

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Why personalization and customization technologies are gaining clout at retail

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Virtual shopping and shopper personalization were twin themes during the recent CES show in Las Vegas. A pair of sessions, "Shopping as a virtual adventure…

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Autonomous stores on the way, but is Amazon Go on first?

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

In many people's eyes, one of the most disruptive retail developments has been the late 2016 launch of Amazon Go, but some observers have questioned its…

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Amazon Go competitors make case for eliminating cashiers

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The NRF Big Show in New York City debuted a host of cashierless checkout technologies hoping to capitalize on the interest generated by Amazon Go.

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Interactive kiosk innovations let loose at NRF Big Show

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Self-serve kiosks were dominant on the NRF trade show floor, offering a range of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality…

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Home Depot, Zivelo give guidance at NRF on building the 'store of the future'

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Healey Cypher, CEO of Zivelo, and Albert Vita, director of in-store experience and visual merchandising at The Home Depot, co-presented their ideas on defining…

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5G, AI and AR: a changing retail world on display at CES

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Kiosks allow retailers to marry the in-store shopping experience with the content-rich experience of online shopping and research. 5G, AI, virtual reality and…

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Economic uncertainties don't quell positive 2019 outlook for interactive kiosks

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The kiosk industry expects record growth for the coming year, notwithstanding uncertainties about the stock market and the impact of President Trump's trade…

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New year outlook: 2019 expected to surpass 2018

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Kiosk industry observers are upbeat for 2019 as retailers are recognizing the need for in-store technology to assist their overburdened sales associates, a…

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Leading kiosk topics in 2018: self-checkout, self-order and more

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The best read stories of 2018 covered a wide range of topics, with self-checkout and restaurant self-order technologies among the more popular themes.

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Amazon exec: Voice assistant makes retail experience personal, natural, authentic

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Voice commerce continues to grow, offering retailers new ways to engage the consumer. But Patrick Gauthier, vice president of Amazon Pay, has more questions…

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McDonald’s touchscreen study calls for zero tolerance approach

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The McDonald's touchscreens sampled in the U.K. study have caused no illnesses to date, indicating that the risk is being managed. But that’s not the end of…

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Kiosk touchscreen sanitation study unlikely to bring regulatory action

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The discovery of bacteria-contaminated touchscreens on McDonald's self-order kiosks in the U.K. has alarmed some observers, but U.S. regulatory officials don't…

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McDonald's bacteria-covered kiosks give rise to safety concerns

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Bacteria found on McDonald's U.K. touchscreens have raised concerns about kiosk sanitation, presenting what many consider to be the first public health issue…

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VR, AR, MR? Get ready for 'extended reality’

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Extended reality, which combines VR, AR MR and 360-degree video, stands to change the way consumers and busineses interact, and much more, according to experts.

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How self-serve payment kiosks improve power company’s revenues and efficiencies

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Automated payment kiosks have improved the customer experience for an Alabama utility company, in addition to improving cash flow and lowering processing…

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Apple's automatic sleep feature raises concern for some kiosk users

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

An automatic sleep feature in Apple's recently released iOS 12 has caused issues for some users, including those with iPads running kiosk software.

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