By: Cathy Harms

In last week’s blog I wrote about a new vision for grocery shopping from a session I attended while at the NRF show.  There were so many amazing companies in attendance to share their newest technologies.  Several of the presentations addressed the challenge of the POS checkout.  Some called for the “death of POS,” while others called it the “decline of the cash register.”  In all cases, many experts were predicting that the entire shopping experience will change eliminating the need for check-out lanes.  How does this happen?

• Employees have mobile POS pads (that look like iPads or iPhones) they use to check you out wherever you are in the store.  With this device all employees can help customers, restock inventory and reorganize the store all the while being able to check out customers if needed.  This improves productivity, reduces wait time for customers and makes the shopping experience easier. 

• As I mentioned last week, the consumer’s phone becomes the POS checkout.  The consumer scans the goods and then swipes their card and never has to talk to an employee (I am not sure how to prevent fraud, so I am guessing that there would be an employee at the door to check number of items, like they do at Sam’s Club).

• A final trend in shopping is buying everything online and then just coming in the store to pick up the items.  So you could shop via PC or phone, make payment the same way.  You then drive up to the pick-up area and your products are ready for you.  Once again, no need to have check-out lanes!

For me, these new enhancements will be great because I have no patience for check-out lines and the delay that comes with them.  Making it easier, quicker and more convenient for me to shop will increase my loyalty to a retailer.  Now I only need to get a smartphone so I can participate.

Currently only 25% of the population has a smartphone, but it is predicted that smartphones will be in the majority by the end of 2011.  I recently saw an ad for Verizon where the new smartphones are only $49.  Do you remember when they cost over $500?  That was less than 5 years ago – now they are down to $49.  I am known in my family as the late adopter – everyone else has a smartphone including both of my kids.  My day is almost here – I have been holding out for the iPhone 4G through Verizon– February 10, 2011!!!