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Self-service VAT refund kiosks piloted in Seoul, MIlan

Global Blue, an expert in value-added tax refunds for travellers, has launched pilot projects with self-service kiosks in several luxury department stores worldwide, according to an announcement from kiosk provider Kiosk Solutions.

April 22, 2015

Global Blue, an expert in value-added tax refunds for travellers, has launched pilot projects with self-service kiosks in several luxury department stores worldwide, according to an announcement from kiosk provider Kiosk Solutions.

Global Blue will deploy self-service kiosks developed by Kiosk Solutions, a specialist for customized self-service projects, kiosks and interactive multitouch presentations. The test installations of 10 kiosks weresimultaneously launched in December 2014 in luxury department stores in Seoul and Milan.

According to the company, the kiosks are optimized for use in high-end retail environments. The devices enable travelers to scan their purchasing documents and identity documents directly in the stores, and upon that, kiosks print VAT refund forms. In the future, the kiosks also will be used to register new Global Blue customers and to issue membership cards.

Kiosk Solutions developed both the hardware and software — including a customized user interface — according to Global Blue specifications, and and provides ongoing support for the kiosks.

"We are absolutely delighted to have found in Kiosk Solutions a partner who can offer us quality solutions from a single source," Martin Kodaj, technology manager of Global Blue Department Stores, said in the announcement. "With these installations, we can fulfill [the] sophisticated requirements of our demanding customers and respond flexibly to the changing business requirements."

Global Blue has already been using a customized kiosk system designed by Kiosk Solutions for the automation of another part of its value chain at several airports and border crossings. These devices process the customers' requests and execute an automatic refund of value-added tax.

"This rollout underlines our previous work with Global Blue and, at the same time, our focus on providing innovative international companies with kiosk solutions from a single source," said Alexandre Plavinski, managing director of Kiosk Solutions, in the announcement. "The speed of implementation suggests a great potential of these kiosks."