Industry Perspective: Mobility Peripherals Are A Pocket Of Revenue For VARs

By Cindy Dubin, Business Solutions magazine.

In an effort to combine friendly POS (point of sale) service with speedy transaction processing, merchants have turned to technology. Everything from self-service checkout kiosks to new technology in bar code scanners, credit card processors, and touch screens all speed up the checkout process. But, mobility technology is changing the consumer shopping experience again, and once more raising the customer service bar for retailers. Savvy VARs have the opportunity to enter this growing mobility niche and generate revenue along the way.

According to Abe Salalac, director of sales & marketing for MMF POS, a supplier of cash drawers and accessories, the increased tendency of consumers to use apps in their mobile phones to purchase items is forcing retailers to supplement and enhance their own existing POS solutions to make them more mobile.

"While retailers are still using fixed POS stations — and I don't see that changing right now — they also need to address society's move toward mobility, and they can do that with mobile POS peripherals sold by resellers," says Salalac.

The employee-operated handheld device, such as an iPad or other tablet, allows retail associates to speed up transaction processing. Having POS mobile peripherals to support these devices is essential for these solutions. Hardware such as battery packs, mounting stations, and holsters are critical ingredients to ensure consistency in front of the consumer. Salalac says that VARs should be certain that the peripherals are rugged enough to withstand the use they will get. "Remember, these items are not stationary," he says. "They are being carried around and worn on the body and need to stand up to a mobile environment with which fixed stations do not have to contend.

"Mobile POS is where the retail industry is headed, and VARs need to provide the associated peripherals to keep retailers competitive," says Salalac.