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Are Amazon Go Stores Putting Consumer Data At Risk?

PETER ZABORSZKY, BESTVPN | December 3, 2018 | 94 views

Amazon has fundamentally changed both how consumers shop and the physical retail landscape across the U.S. While many retail stalwarts are closing stores or downsizing, Amazon instead is opening its own brick-and-mortar locations. Amazon has found its niche. It has successfully seduced the U.S. population. And, now that it has people hooked on mass convenience, it hopes it can encourage them to keep spending. Amazon Go stores are just the latest phase in the shopping titan’s evolution. With 3,000 stores expected to be built by 2021, it appears that the American shopper is headed for one of the most invasive, privacy-eroding shifts in consumer habits ever known. It is no secret that Amazon likes data. The firm has used its online position to intricately analyze its subscriber’s shopping habits. The result has been unprecedented capabilities to spot shopping trends, understand stock demand, and target products to both geographic locations and individuals in vastly more effective ways. The result? Profit, lots of profit.

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Retail ,Wholesale Trade,Ecommerce,Retail,E-commerce,point of sale.

Article | July 13, 2022

Last July, a small group representing the giants of the tech industry gathered in the seat of US government, Washington DC. They probably didn’t want to be there. Congress had summoned their employers Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon to answer questions about the command they hold over the markets they operate in. On Amazon’s behalf, associate general counsel Nate Sutton spoke in defense of his employer’s role in US retail. Throughout, he argued that Amazon isn’t so powerful as to be able to control prices and stifle competition. Amazon, he pointed out, makes up less than 1% of retail globally. In the US, it accounts for around 4% of retail. In fact, Walmart is much larger than Amazon, he said. In terms of sales, Sutton is right. Walmart reported $510 billion in total sales across its US and international segments in the 2019 fiscal year, versus Amazon’s $233 billion in roughly the same period.

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How SMEs can emulate the success of Amazon through ecommerce personalization

Article | July 20, 2022

Whatever your feelings are towards Amazon, there is no denying that they have revolutionised ecommerce and now set the bar for the personalised experience of users when it comes to online shopping. So much so that it was recently reported that they have more than a 30% share of the UK’s ecommerce market. With statistics like this, it may feel like it is impossible to compete, especially as Amazon has huge tech and marketing budgets at its disposal. However, all is not lost. It is possible for SMEs to learn from the forerunner and implement some of their most successful techniques, with regards to their use of ecommerce personalisation and AI, to increase sales cost effectively.

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How Retailers Can Utilize In-Store Digital Signage

Article | August 18, 2022

Consumer attention is shifting. Brick-and-mortar stores must now compete with e-retailers as customers spend more time online, thanks to targeted ads and personalized deals. As noted by Digital eCommerce, online sales rose almost 18 percent last year to $3.46 trillion worldwide and are on track to top $892 billion across the U.S. in less than two years. This shift has alerted most brands to the need for a retail evolution to ensure ongoing success. With e-commerce sales still accounting for just under 10 percent of retail revenues, businesses have an opportunity to boost sales and raise their brand profile — if they can reliably capture consumer interest. One solution: effective and engaging digital signage. Retailers Can Capture Crucial In-Store Moments To capture attention and drive conversion, businesses must capitalize on what Google calls micro-moments, when customers leverage their mobile devices to discover more information, find a price or pinpoint a vendor online.

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Article | February 10, 2020

“Every consumer wants a different experience when shopping, and this ‘experience‘ has become the differentiating factor for many successful business models.” This statement is even more important for ecommerce businesses, which have no face-to-face interaction with clients. With increasing competition, product quality and price are no longer enough to differentiate your brand. To stand out, you need a well-planned customer engagement strategy so they keep coming back for more. Many studies have highlighted the relationship between sales and customer engagement. According to a PwC report, ecommerce businesses can gain measurable benefits, including greater spending, by changing their customer experience strategy to make them feel appreciated. Higher engagement or personalization also impacts impulse purchases.

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Impact of Cashless Transactions on Third-Party Payments

Article | July 13, 2022

Last July, a small group representing the giants of the tech industry gathered in the seat of US government, Washington DC. They probably didn’t want to be there. Congress had summoned their employers Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon to answer questions about the command they hold over the markets they operate in. On Amazon’s behalf, associate general counsel Nate Sutton spoke in defense of his employer’s role in US retail. Throughout, he argued that Amazon isn’t so powerful as to be able to control prices and stifle competition. Amazon, he pointed out, makes up less than 1% of retail globally. In the US, it accounts for around 4% of retail. In fact, Walmart is much larger than Amazon, he said. In terms of sales, Sutton is right. Walmart reported $510 billion in total sales across its US and international segments in the 2019 fiscal year, versus Amazon’s $233 billion in roughly the same period.

Read More
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mPOS: Modern Payment Solutions for Restaurants

Article | July 20, 2022

Whatever your feelings are towards Amazon, there is no denying that they have revolutionised ecommerce and now set the bar for the personalised experience of users when it comes to online shopping. So much so that it was recently reported that they have more than a 30% share of the UK’s ecommerce market. With statistics like this, it may feel like it is impossible to compete, especially as Amazon has huge tech and marketing budgets at its disposal. However, all is not lost. It is possible for SMEs to learn from the forerunner and implement some of their most successful techniques, with regards to their use of ecommerce personalisation and AI, to increase sales cost effectively.

Read More
POS SOLUTIONS, POS HARDWARE

Restaurant POS Systems: The Latest and Future Trends

Article | August 18, 2022

Consumer attention is shifting. Brick-and-mortar stores must now compete with e-retailers as customers spend more time online, thanks to targeted ads and personalized deals. As noted by Digital eCommerce, online sales rose almost 18 percent last year to $3.46 trillion worldwide and are on track to top $892 billion across the U.S. in less than two years. This shift has alerted most brands to the need for a retail evolution to ensure ongoing success. With e-commerce sales still accounting for just under 10 percent of retail revenues, businesses have an opportunity to boost sales and raise their brand profile — if they can reliably capture consumer interest. One solution: effective and engaging digital signage. Retailers Can Capture Crucial In-Store Moments To capture attention and drive conversion, businesses must capitalize on what Google calls micro-moments, when customers leverage their mobile devices to discover more information, find a price or pinpoint a vendor online.

Read More

5 Ways Customer Engagement Can Boost Your Ecommerce Site

Article | February 10, 2020

“Every consumer wants a different experience when shopping, and this ‘experience‘ has become the differentiating factor for many successful business models.” This statement is even more important for ecommerce businesses, which have no face-to-face interaction with clients. With increasing competition, product quality and price are no longer enough to differentiate your brand. To stand out, you need a well-planned customer engagement strategy so they keep coming back for more. Many studies have highlighted the relationship between sales and customer engagement. According to a PwC report, ecommerce businesses can gain measurable benefits, including greater spending, by changing their customer experience strategy to make them feel appreciated. Higher engagement or personalization also impacts impulse purchases.

Read More
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Spotlight

Retail Design Solutions

RDS are an established multi discipline design agency specialising in all forms of 2D and 3D CAD, store planning, building surveying, 3d laser scanning, BIM, branding and interior design for the retail, engineering, public and private sectors.

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LEFCON | March 16, 2023

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Lunchbox Launches New Catering Platform for Enterprise Restaurants

Lunchbox | March 15, 2023

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Spreedly Expands Payment Options to PayPal Braintree Customers

Spreedly | March 14, 2023

Spreedly, the leading payment orchestration platform provider, announced the addition of integrations for PayPal Credit, Venmo, PayPal Pay Later, and ACH payments, providing clients with even more payment method possibilities. These additional payment methods are now accessible to PayPal and Spreedly customers processing via PayPal Braintree. An effective payment plan must incorporate the appropriate combination of payment options to accommodate client preferences, regional payment requirements, and a variety of other factors. Payments Orchestration supports the integration of new and local payment methods (LPMs), providing an extensive set of payment options for assisting global merchants to reach more customers, reduce transaction fees, and improve conversion rates. Randy Guard, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Spreedly, stated, "Through our single point of integration, Spreedly provides the capability, along with a wealth of knowledge, to enable customers to select the right mix of payment methods for today's market needs – and prepare for future, unknown needs." He added, "Our joint customers are able to offer a variety of local payment methods, like Venmo, and make it even easier for consumers to pay using any method they choose." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Spreedly Founded in 2008, Spreedly is a leading provider of payments orchestration platforms, enabling and optimizing digital transactions with the most comprehensive payment services marketplace in the world. By utilizing our payments technology, global organizations and hyper-growth companies can expand their digital businesses more rapidly.Hundreds of global clients secure card data in their PCI-compliant vault and use tokenized card data to facilitate and optimize more than $45 billion in yearly transaction volumes with any payment service. The headquarters of Spreedly is located in downtown Durham, North Carolina.

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CLOUD BASED POS

LEFCON, LLC Enters Master Service Agreement with Sage Hospitality

LEFCON | March 16, 2023

LEFCON, LLC, a national technology support organization, recently announced entering into a Master Service Agreement (MSA) with Sage Hospitality Group for its corporate headquarters in Denver and the majority of its portfolio of more than 110 hotels and restaurants in the United States. As part of the Master Service Agreement, LEFCON is the primary technology partner for Sage's corporate headquarters, assisting with infrastructure, day-to-day technology solutions, and innovative solutions to keep Sage at the forefront of hospitality services as the industry evolves. LEFCON also provides support for the majority of Sage's hotel and restaurant offerings, including POS systems, back-of-house technologies, and event and guest service requirements. James Lefcakis, President of LEFCON, said, "What we love about our partnership with Sage Hospitality Group is that they are interested in continuing to innovate the hospitality industry through technology systems and support." He added, "LEFCON not only provides excellent day-to-day customer support but we are always looking for new and creative ways to engage with guests through tech, as well as streamline services throughout hotels and restaurants. This partnership will allow us both to think up new and creative ideas while providing excellent service to Sage's properties." "LEFCON has been a trusted partner of Sage for many years, and we're excited to enter into this MSA to continue to provide excellent service to our properties and owner/partners," mentioned Matt Schwartz, Chief Technology Officer at Sage. He also said, "We look forward to bringing new innovations to our hotels and restaurants that will enhance the guest experience and continue to position Sage as an industry leader in the lifestyle sector." About LEFCON Founded in 2000, LEFCON provides a highly specialized managed services solution that is customized to match the needs of each hotel organization, drawing on more than 25 years of experience providing professional IT services to the hospitality industry.LEFCON offers top-tier solutions for email, asset management, security and compliance, and proactive network monitoring, all of which are backed by a 24/7 support team and a state-of-the-art network operations center. As a business focused on hospitality technology, LEFCON offers services like consulting, opening management, network design and build, new construction build, project governance, and turnkey IT solutions.

Read More

POS RETAIL

Lunchbox Launches New Catering Platform for Enterprise Restaurants

Lunchbox | March 15, 2023

Lunchbox, an emerging provider of modern online ordering systems for restaurants, announced the introduction of Lunchbox Catering 2.1, a reimagined management suite with improved backend features that streamlines the end-to-end guest catering experience. With 73% of remote enterprises anticipating a return to the office this year, the demand for workplace catering has surged, resulting in a 50% faster growth rate for the catering industry than the restaurant industry as a whole. In response to this industry demand, Lunchbox unveils Catering 2.1, an enterprise catering suite that provides an improved user experience based on functionality. Deploying the latest management suite, restaurants can streamline an otherwise divided ordering platform, enabling cross-functional cooperation between loyalty and operations. Restaurants will acquire access to the following integrated features with Lunchbox Catering 2.1: • Order Level Upsells • Single Site Ordering • Enhanced Modifiers • House Accounts • Call Center Tool • Custom Operations • Best-In-Class Reporting With catered check averages creating larger revenue for restaurants, the Catering 2.1 suite provides innovative features prioritizing cart upsell and checkout success. Backend features include location map pins showing a brand logo, a simple order type option, and an order-ready time display. George Istfan, CTO of Lunchbox, said, "Restaurants often use one partner for catering and another for their online ordering solution — this results in a siloed solution where the two systems are unable to communicate seamlessly and share data." He added, "Lunchbox is eliminating that silo by building an end-to-end platform that encompasses all of an operator's menus and creates a frictionless guest ordering experience for each channel." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Lunchbox Founded in 2019, Lunchbox is an emerging modern online ordering system designed to increase restaurants' online revenue. It enables restaurant chains to take charge of their digital growth strategy with its suite of products specialized in application and web ordering, marketing, guest loyalty, catering, and order aggregation in order to increase revenue and enhance guest engagement. The company has enabled more than 5,000 restaurant locations nationwide, including Firehouse Subs, Clean Juice, Walk On's Sports Bistreaux, Papa Gino's, Clean Juice, and Wings Over.

Read More

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Spreedly Expands Payment Options to PayPal Braintree Customers

Spreedly | March 14, 2023

Spreedly, the leading payment orchestration platform provider, announced the addition of integrations for PayPal Credit, Venmo, PayPal Pay Later, and ACH payments, providing clients with even more payment method possibilities. These additional payment methods are now accessible to PayPal and Spreedly customers processing via PayPal Braintree. An effective payment plan must incorporate the appropriate combination of payment options to accommodate client preferences, regional payment requirements, and a variety of other factors. Payments Orchestration supports the integration of new and local payment methods (LPMs), providing an extensive set of payment options for assisting global merchants to reach more customers, reduce transaction fees, and improve conversion rates. Randy Guard, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Spreedly, stated, "Through our single point of integration, Spreedly provides the capability, along with a wealth of knowledge, to enable customers to select the right mix of payment methods for today's market needs – and prepare for future, unknown needs." He added, "Our joint customers are able to offer a variety of local payment methods, like Venmo, and make it even easier for consumers to pay using any method they choose." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Spreedly Founded in 2008, Spreedly is a leading provider of payments orchestration platforms, enabling and optimizing digital transactions with the most comprehensive payment services marketplace in the world. By utilizing our payments technology, global organizations and hyper-growth companies can expand their digital businesses more rapidly.Hundreds of global clients secure card data in their PCI-compliant vault and use tokenized card data to facilitate and optimize more than $45 billion in yearly transaction volumes with any payment service. The headquarters of Spreedly is located in downtown Durham, North Carolina.

Read More

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