Technical advancements in the Retail space brings along with it constant improvement in POS systems and how the customer experiences retail. One example of this is the recently announced, Amazon concept store. A store concept where customers walk in, collect their purchases from the shelves and walk out — all without ever needing to line up at a checkout. Called Amazon Go, the location in Seattle is a pilot project that could roll out to other cities early next year. So far, it’s still in beta testing, and for now only available to employees in Seattle where the company is based. Shoppers who enter the store sign in by waving their smartphone App over a reader. Once inside, they can wander through the aisles, picking up items. When they’re done, there’s no need to line up at a cashier — simply walk out the door, and the company will bill their Amazon account for whatever they have taken with them.

This is a great example of how the Point of Sale, loyalty and payments are being rolled into a singular customer centric experience. The fundamental core of such programs will always remain the same – they are a way of simplifying the customer experience, and identifying and rewarding loyal customers. As the point of sale and the point of payment converge within the mobile device, retailers can negate the need for a credit card, paper receipt, loyalty cards, promotional details, which removes many points of confusion and results in a convenient shopping experience.

At InfoPOS, we are increasing our investment into delivering technological advancements in the Point of Sale space. This includes, mobile shopping applications and self-service checkouts to ensure our Sage Retailers deliver a competitive and convenient experience. It is exciting times in the Retail space, and for Retailers and Resellers, it is important to partner with Software solutions that are committing to lead the way in their respective industries.