First Utopia Convenience Store Self-Checkout Installed in Bowling Green Jr. Food Store

Bowling Green, Ky. – Feb. 4, 2008- Utopia technology developed by Pan-Oston and Hitcents is paving the way for innovative customer service and convenience. A Utopia inset counter unit was installed on November 28th , 2007 at the Jr. Food Store on Cave Mill Road in Bowling Green. Customer response has been very positive as service is enhanced with the freedom of having two lines open with only one register required to be manned.

The first of its kind, the Utopia Self-Scan system features customer pre-pay for gas inside the store, allowing them to fuel at the pump of their choice for up to 30 days after the gas purchase. This allows them to pre-pay with cash, normally something that required a manned register, without waiting in line.

Jr. Food Stores also hopes to take advantage of the biometrics option available on the Utopia unit. The biometrics would allow customers to scan their thumb to verify their age when purchasing tobacco and alcohol products.

Hitcents President Chris Mills said “We are excited to put our self-checkout system in the hands of convenience store customers. We look forward to working with Jr. Food Store and Pan-Oston to implement the innovative biometric possibilities offered by our Utopia software.”

The Utopia Convenience Self-Scan operates Point of Sale (POS) independent and can be easily customized and retrofitted for use with any new or existing convenience store counter application. The benefits are: utilization within the current store footprint, matching of current store colors and decor, use of existing POS hardware, increased cash security, and an improved customer experience for people who want to get in and out as quickly as possible.

The Utopia Self-Scan lineup of products features an open architecture platform allowing for ease of integration to existing point of sale systems, and is the most customizable solution currently available in the industry. Offerings include customer specific models in either metal or wood cabinets. The system also offers a fully customizable Graphical User Interface to maximize operational efficiencies and the customer experience. Customizations include such items as a store branded logo, color schemes, and on screen item selections. Multiple languages are also supported.

In addition, biometric access improves employee efficiency and satisfaction, along with store security, by eliminating the need to keep up with multiple key codes and keycards allowing employees to login to administrative features with the touch of their finger.

Pan-Oston brings many years of experience in retail cabinetry and store front-end design, and currently manufactures checkout lanes for Wal-Mart, Target, Michaels, and many others. Hitcents designs and produces the software for Utopia Self-Checkout, offering a unique, user-friendly interface to raise the self-checkout process to a whole new level.

About Pan-Oston

Pan-Oston relocated its headquarters and US operations to Bowling Green, Ky. in 2005 and has been recognized as a leading fixture manufacturer in North America for more than 28 years. In addition to North America, the company boasts sales to Asia, South America, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe. For more information, visit www.panoston.com.