Panasonic, a leading provider of retail technology solutions, will highlight a number of new technologies at the 105th annual National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show, including new mPOS and rugged tablet devices. These new solutions target retailers of various sizes as well as supermarkets, table service restaurants, quick serve restaurants (QSR) and build upon the company’s 30 years of experience in the retail sector.
“With customer in-store experience expectations continuing to grow, retailers need mobility solutions that can perform a wide variety of tasks required in today’s connected retail environment,” said Jeff Pinc, Director of Retail and Food Services, Panasonic. “Our mobility solutions offer retailers the tools they need to bring employees out from behind the counter and onto the showroom floor to check inventory, make recommendations and close sales while keeping customer data safe and secure.”
This year, retail solutions at the Panasonic booth include:
Rugged Mobility Solutions
New to NRF this year, the Toughpad FZ-Q1 is a 12.5” semi-rugged tablet with POS, mobile POS, kiosk and mobile dashboard applications for retail. Purpose built for mobile workers, the tablet features a full HD, 350nit, 10-finger touchscreen, while providing the ideal level of durability for retail work. With a shock absorbing case and a magnesium alloy chassis, the device can withstand falls from 2.5’ – ideal for handling associate drops and wear and tear. The Toughpad FZ-Q1 also features a fanless design resistant to dirt and dust, making it the perfect mobile solution in a retail environment where minor ingress is a concern.
Built for mPOS, the Toughpad FZ-R1 is an all-in-one tablet running Windows 8.1 for retail environments to meet changing omni-channel customer expectations while providing secure transaction capabilities. With its integrated EMV reader with PIN pad, mag stripe reader and NFC compatibility, the Intel®-based Toughpad FZ-R1 can handle all forms of electronic payment, giving retailers and their customers’ confidence that financial data is secure while providing the omni-channel experience they have come to expect.
The company will also showcase its wide range of rugged Toughpad tablets powered by Windows, including, 20” Toughpad 4K, 7” Toughpad FZ-M1, 5” Toughpad FZ-E1 as well as tablets running AndroidTM such as 7” Toughpad FZ-B2 and 5” Toughpad FZ-X1. Additionally, Panasonic will showcase its fully-rugged Panasonic Toughpad tablets equipped with Ingenico iCMP mobile payment terminal. A Toughpad FZ-R1 and Stingray III POS terminal will demonstrate the FreedomPay Advanced Commerce Platform. The complete line of Toughpad tablets offer retailers the mobility and flexibility they need to boost sales, engage customers and manage operational efficiency from the sales floor to the warehouse.
The Panasonic booth will also include the world’s first fully rugged detachable laptop1, the Toughbook 20, an ideal solution for managers to use in back office operations as well as front of store for increased flexibility.
Stingray III POS
The Panasonic Stingray III is an enterprise-grade POS device featuring an all-in-one flexible, modular design, and is compatible with a variety of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The Stingray III’s versatile design features interchangeable touchscreens, allowing easy customization to meet individual retailer requirements with unlimited mounting options. The increased modularity of the Stingray III also makes servicing and replacing parts a simpler process, allowing the workstation to be easily maintained, reducing total cost of ownership and increasing ROI. The Stingray III is compatible with existing Panasonic POS cabling and peripherals, making the transition to an upgraded workstation simple for operators.
Clearview by Panasonic
Purpose built for the food and retail industry, Clearview by Panasonic is a highly flexible and scalable web-based software solution for financial management, inventory cost management, and labor management. The solution is used by thousands of restaurants to optimize and automate food orders, cash management, scheduling, financial tracking, reporting, and much more, maximizing profits from every dollar earned and providing unprecedented business insight for multi-unit operators and franchisors at both individual store and collective levels.
Digital Signage Solutions
Panasonic will also exhibit its new Space Player. This new type of lighting equipment combines the functions of traditional lighting and video projectors to create engaging, projected visuals with a wide variety of applications for restaurants and retail stores. For example, retailers can display descriptions and other information while lighting products or a restaurant could project a menu along with images of each option.
Additionally, the company will showcase other digital signage solutions, including video walls, which enable retailers to highlight promotions, boost sales, entertain and direct customers.
Security and Surveillance Solutions
Video surveillance software and hardware solutions optimized for retail applications will also be showcased, including Panasonic’s Ultra 360° panoramic dome camera with built-in business analytics, Intelligent Video Motion Detection (i-VMD) solutions and Video Insight video management software (VMS). Built on Panasonic’s 4K Ultra HD engine the Ultra 360° cameras produce a nine megapixel 360° Fisheye image capturing crisp edge-to-edge images that deliver the equivalent resolution and coverage area as four conventional 720p security cameras, greatly increasing system efficiency. The addition of optional business analytics features including both heat-mapping and people counting can generate key information on store traffic patterns and customer dwell time allowing retailers to gather valuable business intelligence from their camera investment.
Demonstrations of Panasonic’s Intelligent Video Motion Detection (i-VMD) will be available, including intruder detection, loitering detection, scene-change, object detection and cross-line detection. Also exhibited will be Panasonic’s Video Insight management software that captures, manages and stores all video surveillance footage across an easy-to-access network, providing the ideal solution for any single or multi-location retailers.
Customer Success
In an effort to better serve its customers, Pita Pit USA, one of the fastest growing fast casual restaurants in the country, selected the Panasonic Stingray III POS system for its 250+ locations. The company chose the Stingray III based on a criteria focused on reliability, longevity, flexibility and support, providing franchisees with a long-term investment that will deliver a high ROI and low TCO.
Panasonic is also working with several large retailers spanning apparel, home furnishing, among others that are looking to enhance customer service, improve productivity and grow sales with the company’s line of reliable mobility tools.
Panasonic’s retail solutions ecosystem is built around partnerships, vertical market expertise, world-class products and a globally admired R&D engine. For more information on these solutions from a Panasonic representative, please stop by booth #2753.
