What: A promotional piece giving some interesting insights on POS payment solutions and their added value.

Why it is important:  Portable POS solutions are now seen as a stapple by the most demanding customers who see it implemented by leading brands (Apple, Nike, Louis Vuitton). Department stores need to adapt.

Portable POS (Point of Sale) solutions are gaining popularity in retail due to their ability to enhance efficiency and customer experience:

1. **Enhanced Service Levels**: Equipping sales associates with portable POS devices allows for customer checkouts anywhere within the retail store, which is particularly beneficial for retailers attending events, pop-ups, or markets.
2. **Reduced Checkout Lines**: Portable POS systems reduce the length of checkout lines, which is essential as 73% of customers identify checkout experience as their primary pain point in in-store shopping. The reduced wait time minimizes the chances of customers abandoning their carts or rethinking their purchases.
3. **Flexible Shopping Experience**: Portable POS solutions cater to customer preferences for convenience in purchasing products and services. With 26% of consumers preferring in-store pickups for online orders and 11% favoring curbside pickups (17% for Gen Z), retailers are embracing these services as a part of an omnichannel strategy. Portable POS devices make in-store and curbside pickups more efficient and create additional touchpoints for personalized service.
4. **Increased Sales Opportunities**: For example, in apparel stores, allowing customers to check out in fitting rooms or checking inventory for different sizes on the spot can drive sales. Similarly, hardware store associates equipped with POS devices can suggest additional tools and parts to customers during the checkout process.
5. **Holiday Traffic Management**: During high-traffic seasons like holidays, portable POS systems can act as line-busting solutions, where temporary checkout stations can be set up to facilitate faster checkouts and improve the in-store experience.
6. **Back-of-House Functions**: Portable POS devices are not just customer-facing; they also help in performing back-of-house functions such as accessing sales reports.
7. **Integration with Existing Systems**: Square for Retail, available on Square Terminal, is an example of a portable POS solution that can expand checkout options and be integrated with existing retail systems. This single handheld device can handle payments, process returns and exchanges, print receipts, create orders, and view sales reports. It can also be used as a temporary checkout station during peak sales times.
8. **Adapting to the eCommerce Trend**: As eCommerce continues to grow, integrating a flexible and portable POS system is a way for brick-and-mortar retailers to stay competitive by enhancing speed, efficiency, and customer experience.

In summary, portable POS solutions are invaluable for modern retail environments as they offer flexibility, convenience, and enhanced customer service, which are crucial in the evolving retail industry.

The future of the retail POS is expanding beyond the counter