Panasonic has introduced a number of new technologies at the 104th annual National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show. These retail solutions, including mobile and fixed point of sales devices and smart shelving technology, are part of the company’s expanding solutions portfolio targeting retailers of various sizes and sub markets including big box retailers, department stores, supermarkets, table service restaurants, quick service restaurants (QSR), hotels, and more.†
“2014 presented retailers with a number of challenges, from increasing credit card fraud to heightened customer in-store experience expectations,” says Rick Albert, vice president- retail and food services solutions, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America (PSCNA). “This year at NRF, Panasonic is showcasing a number of technology solutions designed to tackle these problems head-on, including the Toughpad FZ-R1 with integrated EMV reader with chip and PIN payment technology. Combined with our digital signage, POS and other technologies, we’re strategically positioned to equip retailers with integrated solutions that deliver the omni-channel shopping experience customers now expect while streamlining efficiencies and sales.”† †
New Panasonic retail s
olutions at NRF 2015 include:†
The Toughpad FZ-R1 is a 7-inch all-in-one mobile POS tablet running Windows 8.1 for retail environments. It features an integrated EMV reader, PIN pad, mag stripe reader, and NFC compatibility to handle all forms of electronic payment.
With the Toughpad FZ-R1 and the retailer’s own store applications, salespeople can assist customers with product comparisons, check inventory, or change an item’s style color or size right from the sales floor in real time. †
†Powershelf Next Generation Shelving Solution
The Powershelf brings the online and mobile shopping experience to the real world, states Panasonic, by combining electronic shelf labels (ESLs) with a suite of applications to help brands and retailers drive consumer engagement and loyalty.†
Powershelf is an integrated retail merchandising solution that combines battery-free, wirelessly powered electronic shelf labels (ESLs) with a built-in, beacon activated advertising capability, inventory and price management software, and out-of-stock sensor technology. The solution can be installed on existing shelving units.
The new Panasonic Stingray III is an enterprise-grade POS device featuring an all-in-one modular design, and is compatible with a variety of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The Stingray III’s design features interchangeable touchscreens, allowing customization to meet individual retailer requirements. The device offers several display options depending on the application with 15-inch XGA (1024×768) and 17-inch SXGA (1280×1024) that feature clear viewing and durable touchscreen capability. These screens can be tilted from 20-90 degree angles with a 15-degree lateral swivel, while a secondary screen, with an optional touchscreen and customer-facing camera, is available to enable promotional video, advertising, or order confirmation to be displayed to customers. The Stingray III is compatible with existing Panasonic POS cabling and peripherals.
FacePro Facial Recognition is a software-based solution that automatically performs identification of a person’s face using digital images captured by Panasonic i-PRO Cameras. Captured face images can be used to match against a database of enrolled target faces or to search previously recorded video and provide notification of positive matches. The system is ideal for alerting store managers to the presence of known shoplifters. The new ULTRA 360 cameras (WV-SFN480 indoor and WV-SFV481 outdoor) are the first of a series of models based on Panasonic’s new 4K Imaging Engine and produce a 9MP (3K x 3K) 360-degree Fisheye image to capture edge-to-edge images that boast the same resolution and coverage area as four conventional 720p security cameras. The Ultra 360 cameras offer advanced analytics that can track store traffic patterns and dwell time and includes a people counting function that helps a store analyze a customer’s movements.
For more information on Panasonic’s retail solutions, visit: www.panasonic.com/business-solutions/retail-solutions.asp.
