Convergence of Technologies Is the Dominant Trend at the
National Retail Federation’s 98th Annual Convention and EXPO

NEW YORK, NY— January 14, 2009 — At this week’s National Retail Federation (NRF) convention and EXPO held at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Center, it was interesting to see the number of solutions being offered that marry different technologies that enable retailers to increase customer satisfaction and build brand loyalty.

The solutions on display combined multiple technologies that benefited both consumers and retailers. RFID is everywhere. RFID-enabled systems can now help retailers track inventory as well as develop shopper profiles to study the buying habits of consumers. RFID is also being used for contactless payment solutions, interactive shopping guides, and loyalty card programs.


At past events, such as Digital Signage Expo and KioskCom, we have noted the introduction of hybrid systems from Mediatile and Intava that combine digital signage with kiosk functionality. At NRF, several new players have entered this field, most notably, Intel. Introduced as a proof-of-concept system, Intel unveiled a retail point-of-purchase system that combines a kiosk, digital signage, touch-enabled tabletop display, and RFID into a streamlined compact-form factor.

The Intel system has the ability to read RFID tags embedded in merchandise that then simultaneously trigger information on the digital signage display and touchpad. The system displays information about the item, customer reviews, special promotions, and makes suggestions on additional items that the customer might be interested in.

Intel worked with San Francisco–based Frog Design to develop the system. Because it is modular, the system can be upgraded to a next-generation CPU platform so retailers can remain in sync with the latest technology advancements. Intel’s POS demo can be customizable with a removable PC board and individual modules that can be added on, taken off, interchanged, or replaced to meet evolving business needs.


Customer Experience Concept Store

The Customer Experience Concept Store was a separate area within the NRF show dedicated to showing technologies that can enhance the music store of the future. Inside the concept store more than 20 vendors, which included Intava, Ecast, Creative Realities, Virgin Entertainment, Touch TV Networks, Vectorform, and Microsoft demonstrated solutions. Some of the technologies included self-service kiosks with touch-screen interfaces, digital jukeboxes, close-proximity audio systems, Web-based connectivity, and interactive surfaces.

The most innovative solutions were from Ecast and Microsoft. The Ecast EQ™ is a 40-inch vertically oriented touch screen with a 1080p high-definition (HD) display. Ecast has developed a robust media platform that brings the functionality of the Internet directly on screen. The Ecast platform utilizes Web-based technologies that include DoubleClick® DART®, to deliver targeted, on-demand content, including interactive advertising, video, real-time surveys, games, and more to the out-of-home environment. The system offers advertisers the same measurement and reporting capabilities found on the Web.

The Ecast platform also supports a wide array of third-party applications, allowing easy integration of popular services such as mobile, e-commerce, and social media, including photo sharing.

Microsoft collaborated with Vectorform, an interactive design firm, to develop a multi-touch demonstration for their Surface interactive tabletop system. The demo included an interactive drum set that captured a fair amount of attention at the show.


Retail Innovation

Another RFID-enabled solution is the Go-Tag system from First Data. Go-Tag is a pre-paid loyalty card system that enables consumers to make purchases without a credit card, debit card, or cash. The cards are wallet-size and can be branded to match a promotional campaign. The system is ideal for high-volume, low-dollar transactions, such as quick-serve restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, theme parks, and event venues, and offer marketers an additional platform for brand building.

Springboard Retail Systems’ Concierge Computer System on shopping carts transforms the shopping experience for consumers in a number of innovative ways. The system enables consumers to scan products as they shop. Shopping list items are automatically checked off a list as a shopper moves through the store. The system speeds up the checkout process because it keeps a running total of items and savings. The system can recognize a customer’s unique shopping pattern to make recommendations based on prior purchases. Consumers can also access an extensive database of recipes and meal-planning suggestions, with an automatic addition of all ingredients to a shopping list after selecting a recipe.

Another shopping solution comes from Boston-based Modiv Media which offers a handheld device with some of the same functionality as the Concierge system. Modiv Media's handheld system makes it easy for marketers and retailers to deliver relevant offers and promotional messages when consumers are at their “moment of decision.” Customers using Modiv's Shopper receive special offers within seconds after picking up the device at the beginning of their shopping trip. The system can be coordinated with in-store promotions, including self-service kiosks, queue management systems, in-store TV, and shelf-edge screens.



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