Grocery And Convenience Store IT News For VARs – May 22, 2014

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

In the news, the future of payment processing could move away from traditional checkouts to paying using the Internet of Things. And a chain of convenience stores has upgraded to new video surveillance software that helps them track exceptions and link it to video surveillance cameras and point of sale (POS) systems to reduce internal theft. A solution at a grocery retailer represents the first complete cold-chain management system to monitor temperature of perishable goods from vendor to store. Also, the JICC is seeking comment on its proposal to retire barcodes on coupons and transition fully to the General Services Administration (GSA) DataBar by June of 2015. 

So Long, Checkout? Hello, Internet of Things!

This article from Retailsolutionsonline.com examines the future of payment processing. A seamless way of paying, it will be an extension of the Internet of Things (IoT), linking actual objects to corresponding online information and data. Instead of using a checkout, a series of sensors will gain access to certain shopper information upon a consumer’s entrance into a shop and link to their stored payment information. 

Case Study Details A Convenience Store Security Solution

According to a case study presented on nrf.com, a recent upgrade to new video surveillance software is allowing Quik-E Foods to quickly detect losses from internal theft. The Web-based exception reporting tool is synchronized to store-level video surveillance cameras and POS systems. The retailer is also upgrading to a new hybrid network video recorders and management server with video management software running on the recorders’ scalable Linux operating system.

Hy-Vee Implements First RFID Cold-Chain Management

The Progressive Grocer.com reports Hy-Vee has implemented the first retail complete cold-chain management system to monitor temperature of perishable goods from vendor to distribution center and into the store.   The system requires no infrastructure or hardware; the RFID tags record time and temperature readings at pre-set intervals throughout the shipping and receiving process and algorithms process data allowing the receiver to accept or reject shipments accordingly.

Finding Your Role In Meeting Customer Desires

Industry experts say VARs who understand their role in helping their merchant clients enhance the customer experience will have an edge on their competition.  An article for Retailsolutionsonline.com  that details the solution at Food Lion. The company rolled out a new tagline, “Easy, Fresh and Affordable...You Can Count on Food Lion Every Day." Changes include larger register screens, expanded product lines, color-coded shopping bags (blue for cold, white for non-refrigerated, a new walk-in cooler for the produce department, expanded deli options, and an expansion of Food Lion store brand.

JICC Seeks Input on Coupon Barcode Retirement

According to NACDS, The JICC is moving to retire the UPC Prefix 5 and GS1 Prefix 99 symbols from use, in order to move the industry toward exclusive use of the GS1 DataBar symbol on coupons. The JICC will accept comments on its intention until June 16, 2014, and the transition would go into effect by June 30, 2015.

For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Grocery and Convenience Store Tech Center.