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BNACS hosts growing group of self-service
suppliers
October 10, 2006
By Joseph Grove
LAS VEGAS—The annual tradeshow of the National
Association of Convenience Stores
opened yesterday at the Las Vegas Convention
Center. The number of exhibitors focused on
kiosks and ATMs remained small among about 1,400
vendors of soft drinks, energy drinks
candy bars, adult magazines, cup racks and car
wash systems. But the c-store world
continues to adopt not only the technology but
the philosophy of self-service.
“You’re seeing more companies be very aggressive
with self-service,” said Jeff Lenard, a
spokesman for NACS. “I don’t know that we’re at
a tipping point yet, but it’s hardly unique
anymore.”
Pan-Oston produces many self-checkout units,
including this tabletop unit that includes
biometrics for use in loyalty
programs or other applications.
While pay-at-the-pump and the ATM are the
mainstays of c-store self-service technology,
other applications are gaining ground.
Radiant Systems has deployed self-ordering
terminals in WaWa, Sheetz and Rutter’s cstores.
Spokesman James Hervey led booth visitors on a
whirlwind tour of the various
applications his company has developed for their
fast-food products, calling the
deployments a great fit for the c-store space.
“The ROI is almost automatic,” he said. “First
of all, your food waste goes to zero almost
instantly.”
In addition, Hervey said, the self-service
applications are three times more successful at
upselling
items like cheese and chips. “The machine never
forgets to ask, and there is no
embarrassment factor for the customer saying
yes.”
The self-ordering terminals link to the POS
terminals, eliminating the need for a second
cashier at the food station.
James Hervey demonstrates the self-ordering
application Radiant Systems developed for the
fast-food products of BP cstores.
Self-checkout is moving from the grocer to the
c-store. Self-service new-comer Pan-Oston
showed its Utopia line, applications that can be
custom-configured for the small spaces
typical of the c-store environment as well as
for those of the larger food retailers. Units
can
be positioned on the floor, with or without a
security scale, or on table tops, with biometric
capability.
“The biometrics can be used to reduce the number
of keys and cards c-store operators have
to give employees,” said Russell Strickland,
self-scan project manager for Pan-Oston. “They
can be used for loyalty programs as well, when
they’re customer-facing.”
NACS is an international trade association
representing more than 2,200 retail and 1,800
supplier members. The U.S. convenience store
industry, with more than 140,600 stores
across the country, posted $495.3 billion in
total sales in 2005, $344.2 billion coming from
motor fuel sales.
Lenard expected about 25,000 people to attend
the show, which was first produced in 1961. |