Moving point-of-sale into a smarter future
The digitalisation of the modern world economy is being driven rapidly by a shift from traditional payment methods. Fatima Khota, business unit manager of Rectron's point-of-sale (PoS) division, looks at how retailers in the formal and informal sector are adopting...
Retail transformation enhances operations, empowers employees
In today's digital world, retailers are looking for more innovative ways of optimising operations, increasing employee efficiency, and enhancing customer experiences. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) provides them with an invaluable tool to do so...
Why retailers should support cash buyers
South African retailers that go completely cashless potentially risk excluding large portions of their customer base. With nine out of 10 transactions in South Africa still made in cash, removing this option limits customer choice in payment methods. That's according...
Technology improves payment reconciliation for retailers
As retailers grow into mid-market size and beyond, the complexity and cost of manually reconciling payments increases almost exponentially because there are hundreds of thousands, if not more, transactions a day. By Graham Bradford, senior product manager at Ecentric...
How retailers can survive despite low growth
With the International Monetary Fund forecasting that South African GDP will grow only 1% this year against a backdrop of load shedding and logistics disruptions, retailers will need to focus on diversification into new sectors as well as expanding market share at the...
Use data to revolutionise retail
For years, the industry has advocated for the benefits offered by business intelligence (BI), but many retailers are still struggling to get the most out of their data. As retail continues to evolve in a rapidly digitising world, companies are looking for different...
What GenAI means for retail
In the span of a year, the landscape of artificial intelligence has undergone a remarkable transformation. Until late 2022, few people outside of cutting-edge artificial intelligence had heard of large language models (LLMs) or generative AI (GenAI). By Sheetal Patel,...
What to expect from retail tech in 2024
Once upon a time (literally like last week) a shopper popped in for a quick pre-holiday shop. Welcomed by a bot that offered personalised suggestions based on previous purchases - a hassle free push to make their experience "more than". Drawn into the clothing...
KFC opens Play Braamfontein concept store
KFC has opened a concept store in Johannesburg's Play Braamfontein precinct, showcasing new concepts in food, fashion, customer service, team member experience, tech, operations, development, sustainability and design. "It's about revolutionising the speed and agility...
Retail lessons of 2023 shape trends in 2024
The cost of living, the nervous twitches of the global economy and the lingering recession are all having an ongoing impact on the retail sector and its outlook for 2024. What lies ahead? What lessons learned in 2023 will shape decision-making, investment and...
What does the future of Android-based PoS terminals look like?
Most of us probably don’t spend that much time thinking about what operating systems are installed on the point-of-sale (PoS) terminals, also known as card machines, that allow us to buy gifts at a boutique, lunch at a food market, or even our weekly groceries. Dig a...
Managing data critical to maintaining a competitive advantage in retail
Adaptability is critical in the retail space, and in today's world, if you do not have an online presence, you are losing out on a significant opportunity. When making the move online, it is essential to deliver a consistent experience for users - as there is nothing...