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Despite the fact that near-field communication (NFC) payments have yet to find popularity in the United States comparable to that of Europe, a recent report from Juniper Research reports that the technology is projects to reach more than $74 billion in the US by 2015. NFC is predicted to play a major role in the continuing rapid growth of the mobile POS sector. Money transfers and physical good purchases are also expected to triple in transaction value within the same three-year period. The overall mobile payment market total is expected to reach $670 billion by 2015 as well.
NFC is just one of many tools for mobile payments now available to retailers, including SMS, carrier billing and QR code scanning. In fact, mobile coupons are actually predicted to see the most growth over the next three years, even though it currently comprises the smallest segment of the market.
Forrester Research recently reported consumer adoption of 2D bar codes grew from 1% to 5% among US adults between 2010 and 2011. Meanwhile, the number of 2D consumer applications increased at an even greater rate, and is projected to increase even more in 2012 as businesses interlace their marketing and go-to-market strategies with QR Code applications. “There are more than 165 million 1D laser scanners installed at retailers worldwide,” explained Mark Fraker, BlueStar‘s Vice President of Marketing, “providing significant opportunities for Value-Added Resellers to offer new 2D hardware as well as 2D software solutions for QR Code applications.”
So how can resellers help their customers meet this constantly growing demand for advanced retail and POS technology?
“It all comes down to the consumer experience, which is what many top retailers are focused on, and this philosophy has started trickling into the SMB space,” Fraker explained. “Providing a unique and enjoyable customer experience will increase customer retention and average sale. Initiatives like mobile coupons drive frequency and loyalty by inviting the consumer to return in the near future.”
BlueStar has a wide array of solutions that can help expand resellers’ mobility and POS product lines to fit the needs of all retail customers. From 1D/2D scanners with QR code capabilities to POS tablets for truly mobile retail solutions, we focus on the most advanced technology available to stay on top of retail market expansion.
“The VAR must be able to provide RFID, ADC, and NFC, digital signage, security and POS solutions for everything from establishing a canopy or hotspot to enabling a customer loyalty program, from offering secure transactions for a variety of card types to supporting electronic wallets,” he said.
Contact a BlueStar POS specialist today to learn more about how to put the mobile POS revolution to work for your retail customers and your bottom line.
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